Malaysia imposes stricter rules, booster requirements over Omicron threat

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said authorities were also verifying 18 more suspected cases of the variant, believed by experts to be the most transmissible yet, with results expected by Friday.

The second case was an 8-year-old traveling with family from Nigeria, where the family resided, via Qatar, Khairy told reporters.

All close contacts, including 35 passengers on the same flight, have tested negative for the coronavirus so far.

Malaysia reported its first case of the Omicron variant earlier this month in a traveler from South Africa.

To curb Omicron risks, mass New Year gatherings will be banned and those attending private New Year and Christmas celebrations must undergo Covid-19 self-tests, Khairy said.

Malaysians over 60, and all adult recipients of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine, are required to get a booster dose by February to keep their status as "fully vaccinated", Khairy said. Singapore is considering a similar policy.

This week, researchers in Hong Kong urged people to get a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible, after a study showed insufficient antibodies were generated by those of Sinovac and BioNTech to fend off Omicron.

Malaysia has temporarily banned the entry of foreign travelers from eight countries in southern Africa and designated nine countries as "high-risk", including Britain, the United States, Australia and India.

All arrivals from these countries must undergo mandatory quarantine and be fitted with digital tracking devices, regardless of their vaccination status.

Those from Britain will also be required to conduct daily self-tests during quarantine, Khairy said.