Ministry Of Health (KKM) has declared 12 cases of COVID-19 variant Arcturus in Malaysia as of today(24 April).
Read about our previous coverage here:
12 cases of COVID-19 Variant Arcturus detected in M’sia
In a press statement, Health Minister Dr. Zaliha Mustafa said that there are six cases reported in Sarawak, four in Selangar and two in Kuala Lumpur.
Global risk assessments indicate that the risk of infection and severity of cases caused by the XBB.1.16 subvariant is lower than the XBB.1.5 subvariant and other previously reported variants/subvariants.
“Although Malaysia has identified the XBB.1.16 variant since March 2023, the COVID-19 infection situation remains under control and is not burdening the healthcare capacity of clinics and hospitals,” she shared.
Minister urges the public to be more careful
The Health Minister also urged the public to take preventive measures, such as wearing masks in crowded places for high-risk individuals, washing hands frequently, and getting vaccinated as soon as possible to enhance protection.
XBB.1.16, the most infectious known Omicron variant, was first discovered in January 2023 and has since spread to the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, India, and other countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classified it as a “variant under monitoring” in late March.
