ANOTHER Omicron Covid-19 variant case has been detected in Malaysia, making it the second confirmed case since November, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

“We now have two confirmed cases of Omicron variant. The latest case involves an eight-year-old girl who was returning home from Lagos in Nigeria on December 7,” he said.

“The Covid-19 test she took on December 5 before departure was negative. She came home with her mother and younger sister and only tested positive on December 7, but she did not show any symptoms. The family are in home quarantine now.” 

He said all 35 passengers seated near the girl in the flight have tested negative.

He said the taxi driver who drove the girl’s family home from the airport has also been cleared.

“The mother and her younger sister have been tested twice with the results coming back negative. The taxi driver was also negative,” he said.

“Thirty-five passengers who sat in the first four rows, back rows, on the right and left aisles have all been tested. These are all close contacts and now under home quarantine.” 

On December 3, the first Omicron case was announced by Khairy.

The carrier was a 19-year-old foreigner studying in Ipoh, who had entered the country through Singapore from South Africa. 

Khairy said the student and five others who were on the bus that had picked them up at KLIA are currently in quarantine. 

He said the student entered Malaysia on November 19 before the World Health Organization had declared Omicron a variant of concern on November 24. – December 16, 2021.