KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The Covid-19 Omicron variant does not cause patients to lose their sense of smell like the Delta variant, said the Health Ministry’s National Institutes of Health’s Institute for Medical Research (Microbiology and Immunology) pathologist Dr Masita Arip.

       She said this was one of the significant differences between the symptoms of the Omicron and Delta variants.

       “Apart from that, the Omicron variant also does not cause high fever like how Covid-19 patients of the Delta variant experience. Among the main symptoms of the Omicron variant are headache and nausea.

       “Those who have symptoms of fever and headache are advised to seek immediate treatment,” she said as a guest on the Bernama TV programme Ruang Bicara Tuesday (Feb 15) night.

       According to her, patients of the Omicron variant experience a shorter period of symptoms of about five days, compared to the Delta variant.

       She said Malaysians must be matured in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic by immediately seeking treatment when symptomatic, always practising self-isolation and taking the booster shots so as to have immunity against the variant.

       Individuals who conduct Covid-19 self-tests at home and find themselves positive must be honest as well as be responsible by not leaving their house and endangering others, she said. – Bernama