At the Bandung City Hall, West Java, on Saturday, Suharyanto noted that initial regions that became the epicenter of COVID-19, such as Jakarta, Banten, and Bali, seem to have experienced a decline in the number of cases.
However, regions, including West Java, Central Java, East Java, and provinces outside of Java, are witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases.
"That is what Omicron is like. While it is not too fatal, its infection is very fast," he remarked.
The rise in COVID-19 cases in these various regions has surpassed the number of cases that increased during the spike in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in June 2021, he noted.
However, despite this surge in cases, the spread of the Omicron variant does not cause as many deaths as the Delta variant spread, he remarked.
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According to Suharyanto, during the spike in Delta variant cases, the death count reached two thousand people within a single day.
"During the Delta spike, the number of confirmed cases reached 56 thousand per day and more than two thousand people died," he noted.
"Meanwhile, currently, the number of nationally confirmed cases stood at 64 thousand, which is higher, but the death count is below 250 people," he stated.
Moreover, the Omicron variant is not as severe as the Delta, but many people still died, he pointed out.
Based on the evaluation, these deaths occurred, as the patients that contracted COVID-19 had not yet been vaccinated.
Moreover, old age and having comorbidities were contributing factors to these deaths.
"What is most important is to uphold the health protocols in order to protect ourselves, families, and the general public. This is not up for debate," Suharyanto emphasized.
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Translator: Bagus Ahmad R, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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