New Covid-19 variant XFG detected in Malaysia
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Malaysia's Covid-19 cases recorded in the 35th epidemiology week saw a 49.5 per cent drop, compared with the same period in 2024.
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PUTRAJAYA - A new variant has been detected among Covid-19 cases reported in Malaysia, said the country’s Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said the XFG variant accounted for 8.2 per cent of the 43,087 cumulative cases reported in the 35th epidemiology week.
He said the new variant was detected by the Health Ministry through genomic surveillance to track the spread of variants.
“The latest genomic surveillance data shows that 34 per cent of the reported cases are of the NB.1.8.1 variant, followed by JN.1 (18.1 per cent), XEC (13.3 per cent), XFG (8.2 per cent) and others (21 per cent),” Datuk Seri Dzulkefly said in a post on X on Sept 19.
He pointed out that the number of Covid-19 cases recorded in the 35th epidemiology week saw a 49.5 per cent drop, compared with the number of cases reported in the same period in 2024, which was 85,297 cases.
He said one death has been reported in the 35th epidemiology week – that of a 91-year-old bedridden person – bringing the cumulative death toll in 2025 to three.
On June 25, the World Health Organisation had designated the XFG variant as a “variant under monitoring” due to its high transmissibility and increased ability to evade immunity.
Dr Dzulkefly reminded the public to continue preventive measures such as frequently washing hands, wearing face masks when symptomatic or in crowded areas and getting vaccinated, especially for those in high-risk groups. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
