The risk of transmission in households is higher with the Omicron variant since the variant can transmit among people faster
Jakarta (ANTARA) - There is a higher risk of household transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 compared to the Delta variant, spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccinations at the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said.



"The risk of transmission in households is higher with the Omicron variant since the variant can transmit among people faster," she noted at an online discussion, accessed from here on Friday.



Omicron transmission could be three times faster compared to the Delta variant, she informed.



Besides, the Omicron variant can even infect people who have contracted COVID-19 before, Tarmizi pointed out.

Related news: Omicron variant can infect vaccinated people: Health Ministry



Any spike in COVID-19 cases due to Omicron could burden health facilities, she cautioned.



If cases spike, health facilities would face limitations in providing optimal services even though the government has tried to anticipate the availability of health services, she explained.



"If the number of infected people increases rapidly, the rate of mortality and patients receiving treatment will increase because people will need (medical) treatment," she added.



For this reason, the government needs to tighten control at the country's entry points to prevent Omicron transmission, the spokesperson said.

Related news: One Omicron case could infect 10-40 people: Epidemiologist



She also reminded people to remain alert for the Delta variant as well as the variant has continued to mutate up until now.



The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data provided by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of December 24, 2021, at least 4,261,412 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country, while 4,112,706 people have recovered, and 144,047 people have succumbed to the deadly virus.



On December 16, 2021, the Health Ministry confirmed the first Omicron case in Indonesia, with a janitor at the Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital, Jakarta, diagnosed with the virus. Currently, the case count for Omicron in Indonesia has increased to eight.


Related news: Indonesia remains vigilant of Omicron threat during holiday season

Related news: Health protocols, 3T, and vaccinations protect against Omicron




Translator: Martha Herlinawati, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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