THE government has lifted the travel ban on eight southern African countries and included them in the list of high-risk nations for the Omicron variant of Covid-19, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

The total number of high-risk countries is now 18, after including South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

The other countries on the list are the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, France, Denmark, India, Canada and Nigeria.

“It makes no sense to implement the travel ban on the eight countries anymore as the Omicron variant is coming from many other countries,” Khairy said at a press conference today.

“We have also seen a decline in the number of cases in South Africa as well. So we are shifting them from a total ban to high-risk countries.

“Those who returned from these 18 high-risk countries will need to wear a digital tracker to ensure that they strictly adhere to the home quarantine rule.”

Khairy advised Malaysians to postpone their trip to the 18 countries listed as high-risk if it is “unnecessary”.

“Please, if possible, avoid travel to these countries until the situation stabilises.”

He asked all travel companies handling Umrah packages to ensure that travellers have been administered booster shots and conduct home quarantine once they returned.

“A lot of (Umrah) cases… had tested negative for Covid-19 before departure, negative upon arrival, but positive on day five upon arrival.”

The Institute of Medical Research has conducted PCR genotyping assay tests on 366 samples of Covid-19 cases among travellers from December 21 to 25, he added.

“Of the total, 306 have indicated a presumptive Omicron variant and are awaiting the results of whole genome sequencing testing.”

According to MySejahtera data, 1.4% of Covid-19 cases granted a Home Surveillance Order have violated the quarantine order from December 1 to 28.

The Health Ministry is now considering taking action against these individuals. – December 28, 2021.