Malaysia’s second Omicron case detected in 8-year-old arriving from Nigeria via Qatar

The health ministry today confirmed Malaysia’s second Omicron Covid-19 case in an eight-year-old girl who had been living with her family in Lagos, Nigeria.

The girl, together with her mother and younger sister, arrived in the country on Dec 5 on a connecting flight through Doha, Qatar.

She and her family took a RT-PCR Covid-19 test upon arrival at KLIA and were told to undergo mandatory quarantine at home.

The results of the tests released on Dec 7 showed that the girl was positive for the virus. A PCR Genotyping Assay test confirmed on Dec 14 that she had the Omicron strain.

The health ministry said in a statement that the girl was asymptomatic and self-isolating at home for a period of 14 days.

Her family as well as the taxi driver who took them from the airport to their home have been classified as close contacts. Her family members have so far tested negative for the virus while the taxi driver is undergoing a RT-PCR test.

Another 35 passengers who took the same flight have also been categorised as close contacts although their Covid-19 tests have so far returned negative results.

The health ministry meanwhile said another 18 cases are awaiting the results of PCR Genotyping Assay tests to confirm whether they are of the Omicron variant.

The results are expected to be out tomorrow.