It said a claim by Indonesian-based news outlet Suara.com about the variant’s presence in Malaysia is false.

”The health ministry asks the public not to spread false news that can cause confusion and anxiety among the community,” it said in a statement today.

“Instead, the public is advised to refer to the ministry’s official social media to obtain authentic and up-to-date information.”

The report quoted an Indonesian doctor, who warned the people to be vigilant in light of the Mu variant the doctor claimed had been detected in Malaysia.

Mu was first detected in Colombia in January and has been classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization, which has warned that it has mutations which indicate some level of possible resistance to existing Covid-19 vaccines.