However, we must remain vigilant and implement health protocols while accelerating vaccinationsJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Health Ministry reported that confirmed cases of Omicron in Indonesia had totalled 882 as of Thursday morning, largely constituting foreign travelers coming from Saudi Arabia.
"Some 882 cases of Omicron were reported today. The patients comprised 710 foreign travelers, 161 cases of local transmission, and 11 cases that have not been identified," Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health Siti Nadia Tarmizi stated on Thursday.
Tarmizi remarked that the 882 cases of Omicron in Indonesia were the accrued patient numbers recorded by the ministry since the first case was found in Jakarta on December 15, 2021.
In terms of cases involving foreign travelers (PPLN), the figure is mostly dominated by travelers from Saudi Arabia, reaching 128 cases.
Related news: Taking COVID-19 booster shots not mandatory: Health Ministry
"After Saudi Arabia, there were 109 cases of foreign travelers from Turkey, 81 cases of visitors from the United States, 66 cases of Malaysian travelers, and 54 cases of visitors from the United Arab Emirates (EUA)," Tarmizi noted.
She noted that nearly 80 percent of the Omicron patients had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, so they did not exhibit severe symptoms.
"It becomes our concern that vaccinated people can still get infected with Omicron. However, we see people, who have been vaccinated, tend to have milder symptoms when they are infected," she emphasized.
Tarmizi drew attention to a likelihood of a spike in COVID-19 cases in early 2022, though the increase was not significant.
"However, we must remain vigilant and implement health protocols while accelerating vaccinations," she added.
Related news: Indonesian government yet to set official price for booster vaccine
Earlier, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin noted that the increase in Omicron cases at the global level largely occurred at a swift pace, within a short period of time, ranging from 35 to 65 days.
“In Indonesia, we identified the first case in mid-December, but cases started to increase in early January. We calculate that between 35 and 65 days, there will be a fairly fast and high increase. We must prepare for it," Sadikin emphasized.
The Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi areas are estimated to be the first zones to experience a spike in cases. Taking into account the results of the ministry's identification, most local transmissions of the Omicron variant occurred in Jakarta.
Related news: Confirmed Omicron cases in Indonesia increase by 92: Health Ministry
The ministry estimated that in the near future, local transmission will also occur in the Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi areas since the regions are located in proximity to Jakarta, with high public mobility.
"We had informed that more than 90 percent of the local transmissions occurred in Jakarta, so we must prepare Jakarta to face these cases. We must handle it very well," the minister concluded.
Related news: COVID-19 cases increase by 850; Jakarta records most infections
Related news: Omicron cases increase to 572: Health Ministry
Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
