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Covid: Omicron BA.5 variant likely to cause increase in cases - Khairy

08 Jul 2022 05:45pm
Khairy said five Omicron BA.5 variant cases have been detected in Malaysia and are likely to spread widely. Photo: BERNAMA
Khairy said five Omicron BA.5 variant cases have been detected in Malaysia and are likely to spread widely. Photo: BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR - Five Omicron BA.5 variant cases have been detected in Malaysia and are likely to spread widely, resulting in an increase in Covid-19 cases, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said that as of June 30, a total of 13 Omicron sublineage cases were being closely monitored, namely six cases of BA.2.12.1; five cases of BA.5; and two cases of BA.5.2. All these cases were found positive between May and June.

"To date, no cases of Omicron BA.4 variant have been recorded. If we look at it in terms of epidemiology in other countries, BA.5 is the main sublineage affecting the increase in cases globally and we expect BA.5 to continue further increasing the number of daily cases in Malaysia.

"Omicron BA.5 is the most easily spread version of the Covid-19 virus to date (compared with previous Omicron variants, namely BA.1 and BA.2) but it also has the feature to infect those already infected with Omicron BA.1 and BA. 2," he said in a press conference here today.

He said that the situation had also resulted in an increase in hospital admissions in countries such as Singapore, Portugal, the United Kingdom and others. - BERNAMA

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