Over 3,000 cases this year: New Covid-19 variant XFG detected in Malaysia
Malaysia Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad shared in a post on X that the new Covid-19 variant XFG has been detected in Malaysia.
PHOTO: Facebook/Dzulkefly Ahmad
PUBLISHED ONSeptember 19, 2025 8:55 AMBYKhoo Yi-HangA new variant of Covid-19 — XFG — has been detected in Malaysia, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said on Friday (Sept 19).
On June 25, the World Health Organisation designated the XFG variant as a "variant under monitoring", citing its high transmissibility and ability to evade immunity.
Dr Dzulkefly said in his X post that people should wash their hands frequently, wear a face mask if symptomatic or in crowded places, and get vaccinated if they are at risk.
He said that among the 43,087 cumulative cases reported in the 35th epidemiology week (epi-week) this year, about 8.2 per cent — over 3,000 — can be attributed to the XFG variant, The Star reported.
An epi-week is a seven-day period starting on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday, with the first week of a year sometimes beginning in December the previous year. It is used by public health organisations to track trends relating to outbreaks.
Salam ?? Madani ❤️
Yg masih ikuti dgn tekun & bertanya ttng variant XFG (bukan XPG ya):
? Situasi COVID-19 Malaysia sehingga Minggu Epidemiologi ke-35/2025
? Secara kumulatif, sehingga ME35/2025, sebanyak 43,087 kes telah dilaporkan berbanding 85,297 kes bagi tempoh sama… https://t.co/8mi2O4fDem— Dzulkefly Ahmad (@DrDzul) September 18, 2025
Covid-19 cases recorded in the 35th epidemiology week saw a drop of 49.5 per cent compared to the number of cases recorded in 2024, which was 85,297 cases.
A total of three deaths have been recorded since the first epi-week that began on Dec 29, 2024, including a 91-year-old person.
What is XFG variant?
The XFG variant reportedly does not cause more severe illness, and its transmissibility and vaccine response is currently being studied, The New Straits Times reported.
XFG is currently spreading most widely in Southeast Asia, although cases have been reported worldwide.
Existing Covid-19 vaccinations should be able to provide protection against XFG, according to The New Straits Times, but staying up to date with vaccination boosters is recommended.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com