49 new cases of Omicron variant detected in Malaysia
25/12/2021 10:47 AM
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 25 -- A total of 49 new cases of COVID-19 infection of the Omicron variant have been detected in Malaysia, bringing the cumulative number of cases of the variant in the country to 62.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said of the total, 61 cases are imported cases, while one is likely to be a local infection reported in Sarawak yesterday (Dec 24).
He said the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) conducted a PCR Genotyping Assay test on 145 COVID-19 positive samples among travelers from Dec 15 to 21 with 60 of them were identified presumptive Omicron variant.
"On Dec 24, 45 of the 60 presumptive samples were confirmed Omicron variant through genome sequencing conducted by IMR," he told a press conference here today.
He said the Institute of Health and Community Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (IHCM-UNIMAS) had detected four cases of Omicron variant.
-- BERNAMA
