Malaysia has detected two cases of a new coronavirus variant that is thought to be more transmissible and resistant to antibodies, a senior health official said on Friday.

The variant, also known as B.1.525, was found in two people who had traveled from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.

The B.1.525 variant has also been detected in England, Nigeria, Denmark, and Canada.

Malaysia on Friday eased movement restrictions in the capital Kuala Lumpur and several states, nine days after it began a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program.

The country has recorded more than 300,000 coronavirus cases so far, including 1,153 deaths.