MP calls for beefed-up genetic monitoring to track Omicron variant

Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has called for increased genomic surveillance on Covid-19 in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of concern.

He said the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Health, Science and Innovation was briefed on the matter by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and top ministry officials yesterday, and found Malaysia’s situation to be “downright abysmal”.

Yii (above) said Malaysia has only sequenced 0.1 percent of its Covid-19 cases in the last two weeks, compared with as high as 50 percent sequencing done in Denmark...