No cases of Omicron XE variant here, says KJ

No cases of Omicron XE variant here, says KJ

The health ministry is studying characteristics and severity of this variant reported in other countries, including Thailand.

Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin with staff of the Ipoh Public Health Laboratory where he was briefed on the various viruses causing Covid-19 in the country. (Facebook pic)
IPOH:
Malaysia has so far not recorded any cases of the new Omicron XE variant, a new mutation, which is more contagious than any of the other Covid-19 variants.

Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the ministry was currently following the developments and studying the characteristics of this variant that had been reported in other countries, including Thailand, to identify its infectivity rate and effects on patients.

“The Omicron variant, for example, causes a higher number of cases than Delta but its severity is about average compared to Delta, hence the intensive care units are not full like before.

“We need to look into this new variant that is occurring in other countries, whether its infectivity rate or severity is high. Only then can we take appropriate measures,” he told reporters after visiting the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here today.

Earlier, Khairy visited a 138-year-old building and the Long Covid and Rehabilitation Ward, the first in Perak, at Batu Gajah Hospital, near here. He also visited the Ipoh Public Health Laboratory.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had issued a warning about the Omicron XE.

WHO, through its latest report, states that this variant is a recombinant strain — a mutant hybrid of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2.

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