MOH confirms locally acquired Omicron variant cases in Kedah
The Health Ministry has confirmed 58 new Omicron variant cases today, including four locally transmitted cases in Kedah.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the four local cases involved the close contacts of an umrah pilgrim who returned from the pilgrimage to Mecca on Dec 12 last year.
"Exposure to this case occurred on Dec 13, 2021...
The Health Ministry has confirmed 58 new Omicron variant cases today, including four locally transmitted cases in Kedah.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the four local cases involved the close contacts of an umrah pilgrim who returned from the pilgrimage to Mecca on Dec 12 last year.
"Exposure to this case occurred on Dec 13, 2021, and all of them began showing Category 2 symptoms on Dec 17.
"RT-PCR tests were conducted and subsequently reported positive results with cycle threshold values (Ct) between 20.80 and 21.49. All of them were treated for 14 days at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
"The health ministry would like to remind individuals ordered to undergo mandatory home quarantine to continue observing the order, remain in separate rooms, and not meet family members and other individuals.
"Failure to abide by this order will cause Covid-19 transmission, including the Omicron variant to family and community members," he said in a statement today.
Khairy also urged those eligible for a booster dose to get the inoculation to ensure optimum protection against the worst of the disease and its complications.
The index case for this outbreak was previously confirmed to have the Omicron variant on Dec 24 last year. A new round of testing confirmed the presence of the Omicron variant in the index case's close contacts.
The cases were confirmed through whole-genome sequencing conducted by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR). It should be noted that only a tiny fraction of Covid-19 cases undergo genome sequencing to identify the variant involved.
As for the newly identified imported cases, the new cases had originated from Saudi Arabia (39), United Arab Emirates (7), the UK (4), Nigeria (2), Kazakhstan (1), and France (1).
This brings the total number of confirmed Omicron variant cases in Malaysia to 122 cases, of which 117 are imported cases and five are locally transmitted. Seventy-one (58.2 percent) of these cases involve returning umrah pilgrims.
Suspension of umrah pilgrimages
The previously confirmed local Omicron variant case was in Bintulu, Sarawak, involving a 38-year-old with no history of recent travel. The source of the infection is still under investigation.
In addition, Khairy said the IMR has also conducted 1,774 PCR genotyping assay tests on 1,774 Covid-19 cases involving international arrivals throughout December last year, of which 1,220 (68.8 percent) are classified as presumptive Omicron cases.
Of the presumptive cases, 928 (76.1 percent) involve arrivals from Saudi Arabia.
"Whole-genome sequencing on presumptive Omicron samples is still ongoing, and the Health Ministry will update developments on confirmation of Omicron variant cases from time to time," he said.
The statement today comes ahead of tomorrow's special cabinet meeting regarding the suspension of umrah pilgrimages effective Jan 8.
From yesterday onwards, umrah pilgrims must undergo quarantine at designated quarantine centres or hotels. Home quarantine will no longer be an option.
This prompted PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to urge the government to address the complaints among pilgrims about prohibitively high costs of hotel quarantine.
Previously, Khairy had said there were nine Covid-19 clusters detected up to Dec 30 last year involving returning umrah pilgrims. The index cases of four of these clusters were confirmed Omicron variant cases, while one in Sandakan is still a presumptive Omicron case.
Nearly all presumptive cases turn out to be the Omicron variant upon further testing.
The minister had also previously voiced concerns that many overseas returnees, including umrah pilgrims, had failed to observe home quarantine by moving about the house, mingling with family members, and receiving guests.
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