The new Covid-19 B.1.1.529 variant, now named Omicron is probably more transmissible than the Delta variant, but it is not yet known how virulent the virus is, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

“We know Omicron is probably more transmissible than Delta but we don’t yet know its virulence.

“What we can do in the meantime is step up public health interventions (masks, distancing, hygiene), improve indoor airflow, keep our aged safe and take a booster when offered,” he said in his Twitter account today.