[UPDATED] Saudi Arabia added to list of high-risk nations: health DG 

KUALA LUMPUR – Saudi Arabia has been added to the list of high-risk nations, alongside other countries that have reported a spread of the Omicron variant. 

Travellers from the country will now be required to wear digital tracking devices upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, announced Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

In a tweet earlier today, Dr Noor Hisham said that this is because out of the 62 confirmed cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant detected in Malaysia, 30 were returnees from Saudi Arabia.

Latest update: 30 out of the total 62 confirmed cases of Omicron variant in Malaysia were returnees from Saudi Arabia. Saudi has now been added to the High Risk list with travellers & returnees now required to wear a digital tracker when they arrive in KLIA.

— Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) December 25, 2021

The update comes following Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s announcement that Malaysia had recorded what is believed to be its first locally transmitted Covid-19 case of the highly infectious Omicron variant.

Speaking at a press conference today, Khairy said that other than the cases from Saudi Arabia, infections were also recorded in travellers from the United Kingdom, Qatar, the United States, and Nigeria. 

Infections were also identified in travellers from Turkey, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, and Ghana, along with one locally transmitted case.  

Khairy further disclosed that based on initial investigations, many of these individuals ignored quarantine standard operating procedures, including orders to isolate themselves in the room and reject visitors. 

We found that upon their return home, they mixed with their families and met with neighbours. This is serious. We have given home quarantine, and you must obey it.”

On December 7, the Health Ministry had issued stricter measures for travellers from high-risk nations, which include the wearing of digital tracking devices throughout the length of the compulsory quarantine period. 

Countries on the list then were the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, and Norway, with those coming in from nations under the temporary travel ban also required to wear the devices. 

According to Khairy, nations under the temporary travel ban are South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. – The Vibes, December 25, 2021