Covid-19: Two Omicron sub-variants detected in Malaysia, says Khairy

PETALING JAYA: Two sub-variants of the Omicron variant have been detected in Malaysia, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

"Malaysia has just sequenced two BA.5 and one BA.2.12.1 cases. This is the first time these variant lineages have been detected,” he said in a Twitter post on Thursday (June 9).

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He added that both were categorised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as as VOC-LUM or variants of concern lineages under monitoring under the Omicron variant.

“So far, risk factors remain the same," said Khairy.

Both sub-variants are thought to be more transmissible.

Malaysia has just sequenced two BA.5 and one BA.2.12.1 cases. This is the first time these variant lineages have been detected. Both are categorised by @WHO as VOC-LUM (lineages under monitoring) under the Omicron variant. So far, risk factors remain the same. — Khairy Jamaluddin