8-Year-Old M'sian Girl Travelling With Family Is 2nd Omicron Case Detected In Malaysia
Meanwhile, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that there are another 18 suspected cases of the Omicron variant.
By Sadho Ram — 16 Dec 2021, 12:15 PM — Updated about 3 years ago
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today announced that Malaysia has detected its second case of Omicron from a traveller earlier this month
According to him, the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) had been conducting tests on 52 samples from 52 positive cases of COVID-19 among travellers returning from abroad between 6 and 10 December.
Of these, one sample was confirmed to be the Omicron variant on 14 December through further testing.
"This brings the cumulative number of Omicron variant cases detected in Malaysia to two cases. Both of these cases are imported infections from abroad," he said during a press conference today.
The newly detected case is an eight-year-old Malaysian girl
She has been living with her family in Lagos, Nigeria.
"The result of the RT-PCR test on the girl before departure to Malaysia was negative," Khairy said, adding that she arrived here with her mother and sister on 5 December on a transit flight from Doha, Qatar.
The girl and her family underwent the RT-PCR test upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). They were given a Surveillance and Observation Order under Section 15 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) and ordered to undergo compulsory quarantine at home.
He said that the other close contacts in the case are a taxi driver as well as the girl's father who arrived in Malaysia on 12 December and is being quarantined at a private centre.
The father is negative for COVID-19, while a test on the taxi driver is being conducted.
There are 35 other contacts on the flight the girl was on, all of whom tested negative on arrival and on Day 5. They are all being monitored, Khairy added.
Khairy said that there are another 18 suspected cases of Omicron
This is based on the first line of screening. The Ministry of Health (MOH) currently awaiting the second line of confirmatory testing with the results expected by tomorrow, 17 December.
Meanwhile, large-scale New Year's celebrations have now been banned in light of the emerging Omicron variant in the country
Khairy said that small and private Christmas and New Year celebrations are allowed for now, but self-tests need to be done before the party.
Additionally, travellers from countries deemed high-risk will need to wear digital tracking device.
Travellers from the UK will have to self-test every day for the duration of their quarantine.
"All self-test results (positive, negative, or invalid) must be reported on MySejahtera," he said.
