PUTRAJAYA, Dec 25 — Further investigations into the detection of an Omicron variant case in Indonesia involving an individual who had just returned from Malaysia are underway, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

PUTRAJAYA, December 25 — A total of 49 new cases of Covid-19 infection of the Omicron variant have been detected in Malaysia, bringing the cumulative number of cases of the variant in the country to 62.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — The ringgit extended earlier gains to close the week on a higher note, buoyed by improved risk sentiment as worries on Omicron faded, dealers said.

KUCHING, December 24 — A total of four cases of  the B.1.1.1.529 or Covid-19 Omicron variant have been detected in Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Institute of Health and Community Medicine (ICHM) director Prof David Perera said.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — The ringgit extended its uptrend on Friday as reduced Omicron fears helped boost risk appetite.

SINGAPORE, Dec 21— Singapore has reported 71 confirmed Omicron cases as at Monday (December 20), with 65 being imported cases and six local cases, according to the republic’s Ministry of Health (MOH).

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Pharmaniaga Bhd said early data from studies shows that the Sinovac vaccine booster shots are 94 per cent effective against the Omicron variant.

LONDON, Dec 15 — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Tuesday of a steep rise in the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as his government gears up for a vote in Parliament on new restrictions.

LONDON, Dec 14 — At least one person has died in the United Kingdom after contracting the Omicron coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, the first publicly confirmed death globally from the swiftly spreading strain.

SINGAPORE, Dec 11 — Singapore has detected three more Covid-19 cases that have tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant, one is a local case involving another airport frontline worker, and the other two are imported.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — The ringgit strengthened against the US dollar at the opening on Wednesday for some uncertainty over the pandemic has begun to dissipate as scientists have started to have a better understanding of the Omicron variant.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — As Malaysia and the rest of the world slowly begin to recover from the devastating effects of Covid-19’s Delta variant, news of a possibly more contagious strain is sparking fears of new lockdowns, overloaded hospitals and more deaths.

LARUT, Dec 4 — The government has tightened the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the entry of foreign workers, following Malaysia's first positive case of the Covid-19 Omicron variant in Perak.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Following the first case of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant reported in the country, citizens in two states have been urged to remain vigilant and increase compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid being infected.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — The ringgit is set to remain weaker against the US dollar next week as investors are expected to remain cautious over how the Omicron Covid-19 variant will impact economic recovery.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued a ban against travellers from 26 countries that were identified as having reported the spread of the Omicron variant from joining the Langkawi Tourism Bubble (GPL).

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) has confirmed that no Omicron Covid-19 variant has been detected in Malaysia so far.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — Should the Omicron variant lead to a resurgence of Covid-19 infections, the hardest-hit economies will be those with lower vaccination rates, higher dependence on tourism and lower capacity to offer additional fiscal and monetary policy support to offset the variant’s impact on growth.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — With the threat of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron making its way around the world, businesses are encouraged to enhance their hybrid working environment, said Ivanti vice-president for Asia Pacific Andrew Souter.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — Efforts to transition to the endemic phase has been paused for a while as the government looks to find out more about the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, which is said to be more contagious than the Delta variant.