"We should take this as a lesson. We cannot underestimate COVID-19. We know Omicron causes milder symptoms. However, the death cases (of Omicron) are a warning to all of us," she remarked at an online event accessed from here on Monday.
On January 22, 2022, the number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 3,205, she said.
Meanwhile, on January 23, 2022, the number of additional cases was relatively high at 2,925, she noted.
Those numbers were the highest since the first case Omicron was detected in Indonesia in December 2021, according to Asmoro.
Even if looking back at the addition of cases in the past few months, the number of additional cases on January 22, 2022, is the highest addition in a day since September 18, 2021, she said.
"Before, the average daily confirmed cases in Indonesia were already below 300 cases, after the Delta variant wave declined," Asmoro noted.
She offered condolences to the families of patients who died due to Omicron infection.
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With the two Omicron deaths announced by the government on January 22, 2022, it is hoped that all parties will improve health protocol compliance and remain alert for COVID-19 symptoms, even the slightest ones, the spokesperson said.
This needs to be done as an anticipatory measure for the Omicron variant, which causes milder symptoms, so many patients do not realize they have been infected or get tested, she explained.
“We have to be careful. Cases (of COVID-19) have increased, and the Omicron variant has already infected many people," she said.
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 January 24, 2022, at least 4,289,305 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country, while 4,124,211 people have recovered and 144,227 people have succumbed to the virus.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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