MELAKA: State Health authorities are tracing passengers who were onboard the Saudi Airlines flight SV3842 who arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) from Jeddah on Dec 15 following the detection of the first case of the Covid-19 Omicron variant detected here.

       Melaka health and anti-drug committee chairman Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the passengers can also contact the Health Ministry after the state intensified the search for the close contacts of a 34-year-old woman who was the first person to be tested positive for the variant in the state on Saturday (Dec 25).

       "We hope passengers on board of the flight will come forward to help us to effectively curb the spread of the variant," he said on Sunday (Dec 26).

       He said the flight arrived at KLIA on Dec 15 at 9.50pm.

       The woman was tested positive for Covid-19 on Dec 18, together with five others upon returning from their pilgrimage (on Dec 15).

       They were in Saudi Arabia between Dec 4 and Dec 15.

       Further screening found her positive for the Omicron variant on Saturday, while screening is ongoing for the five others.

       The woman is currently being treated at Melaka Hospital and observed in an isolated ward.

       It's learnt there were 41 local passengers on board of same flight with the woman.

       The passengers are from Kuala Lumpur and Melaka.