Singapore‘s Ministry of Health (MOH) said that there is currently no evidence to suggest that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is different or more severe than those of other variants. It also added that no evidence suggested that current vaccines and therapeutics would be ineffective against the new variant.

According to news agency PTI, Channel News Asia reported that the ministry said two more people infected with the Omicron variant travelled through Singapore to Malaysia and Australia.

The MoH said that more data and studies on Omicron are needed to know about the extent of the virus and its characteristics. It also added that it is expecting to see more such cases being reported globally in the coming weeks.

“Should the Omicron variant be more transmissible than Delta and become the globally dominant variant over time, it is a matter of time before it establishes itself in Singapore,” the MOH said on Friday.

“But the additional measures will help to buy time to learn more about dealing with Omicron, and to continue with our booster programme to strengthen our collective resilience for better protection against this new variant.” MOH said it might need to introduce or adjust its measures “at short notice” in response to the “fluid” situation.

Commenting on Omicron infections transmitting through Singapore’s Changi Airport, the ministry said that the first case travelled from Johannesburg on November 27 on a Singapore Airlines flight. He then arrived in Singapore for his transit flight.

The passenger then travelled to Sydney on another Singapore Airlines flight arriving on November 28.

The New South Wales Ministry of Health in Australia on Friday confirmed he was a positive case, the MOH said in a statement on Friday.

The second traveller arrived from Johannesburg via Singapore Airlines flight on November 19, and was in the transit holding area until her departure to Malaysia the same day.

This was reported as Malaysia’s first detected case of the Omicron variant.