We do laud our colleagues from all COVID-19 task forces in districts and cities in Papua for their hard and smart workJayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - Papua administration's COVID-19 Task Force announced on Thursday that COVID-19 cases in the province were handled properly, as the average daily case count currently reached five, with none of them related to the Omicron strain.
The task force also did not record an increase in new COVID-19 cases during the Christmas and New Year 2022 holiday period, according to the task force's spokesperson, Silwanus Sumule.
Based on the cumulative number of reported COVID-19 cases that the task force released by the end of 2021, the average count of daily cases stood at below five, he pointed out.
The figure indicated that COVID-19 cases in Papua were under control. Hence, on behalf of the Papua governor, Sumule thanked all parties for their hard work and prudent efforts in handling the disease.
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"We do laud our colleagues from all COVID-19 task forces in districts and cities in Papua for their hard and smart work," Sumule noted, adding that none of the COVID-19 cases were related to Omicron.
Moreover, Sumule urged all related authorities to stay alert and take precautionary and preventive measures while expediting the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in communities.
ANTARA had reported earlier that Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced Indonesia's first Omicron case on December 16, 2021.
The first person to be infected with the new variant was a janitor working at the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran emergency hospital for COVID-19, he stated.
The case was detected after three workers at the hospital tested positive for COVID-19, he noted.
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In response to the detection of the first Omicron case, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) urged people to stay calm.
"It is important to be vigilant, but do not panic," he emphasized while adding that so far, the Omicron variant had not caused severe symptoms, especially in patients, who have been vaccinated.
He also urged Indonesians to get vaccinated without further ado to protect themselves and to continue to implement strict health protocols.
To stem the spread of this new variant of COVID-19, a senior legislator has urged the Indonesian government to increase surveillance at international travel entry points at airports across the country.
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"Omicron cases have been found in Indonesia. Hence, we need to remain on alert at our travel entry points, especially our international airports," Saleh Partaonan Daulay noted recently.
As of January 4, 2022, the Health Ministry recorded 92 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Indonesia, chiefly comprising Indonesian citizens, who had recently returned from foreign countries.
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Translator: Hendrina DK, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
