JOHOR BARU: Two cases of the Omicron strain were detected in Johor on Saturday involving a married couple who returned from their umrah (pilgrimage).

       State health and environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said the couple left for umrah on Dec 4 and returned on Dec 16 via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

       “They took their RT-PCR test at the arrival hall and results on Dec 18 showed they were positive for Covid-19.

       “They were told to isolate at home in Johor Baru, while close contacts have also been identified and instructed to isolate at home and monitor their status.

       “The couple’s PCR results were sent to the Institute of Medical Research where genome sequencing confirmed that it was the Omicron variant,” he said in a statement yesterday.

       Following this, the Johor Health Department reminded those who returned from abroad, especially those who went for umrah, to obey the mandatory quarantine order.

       Vidyananthan also advised them to stay in separate rooms and to refrain from meeting family members or other individuals during quarantine.

       He said that failure to adhere to the quarantine order could cause the virus to spread among family members and the community.

       “The Health Department also reminded those celebrating the year-end festivities, such as Christmas and New Year, to use a Covid-19 RTK-Ag before attending events and visiting loved ones.

       “It is best to keep events or gatherings brief and with few people at any given time.

       “Although the majority of people in Johor have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, we should all continue to comply with the standard operating procedure of wearing a face mask, physical distancing and ensuring good personal hygiene,” said Vidyananthan.