MOH reports 58 new Omicron cases, including four local transmissions in Kedah – close contacts of an Umrah pilgrim who returned from Saudi Arabia on Dec 12, 2021.
Returning pilgrims are required to quarantine for eight days at a hotel that can cost between RM250 and RM335 per day, amounting to between RM2,000 and RM2,680.
Five Covid-19 clusters with confirmed Omicron index cases were reported in Selangor (Gombak), Kedah (Yan, Kota Setar, Kubang Pasu), Penang (Barat Daya), Johor (Johor Baru), and Pahang (Temerloh, Pekan); one cluster with a presumptive Omicron index case was reported in Sabah (Sandakan).
Tiong King Sing says an Omicron case in Bintulu, Sarawak, was released from a quarantine hotel before his test results were out and later played basketball with other people.
People who are well but test positive for Omicron just need to self-test to discharge from the third day onwards, while close contacts are required to self-test daily before leaving their homes. Unwell cases will be placed under home recovery or treated in hospital.
Khairy Jamaluddin also says the Covid-19 genome sequencing strategy to identify the Omicron variant will be expanded to include high-risk cases, besides international travellers.
Khairy Jamaluddin says a large number of these 30 Omicron cases imported from Saudi Arabia interacted with their family members and even received visitors during home quarantine.