"I have asked the head of the East Java Health Office, the Institute of Tropical Disease of Airlangga University, and following the information from Mr. Health Minister on Wednesday (October 26, 2022) that one case of the Omicron XBB sub-variant has been (found) in East Java," Parawansa informed here on Friday.
The results of genomic sequencing have shown one confirmed case of the XBB sub-variant in the province as of Friday, with the patient, a 29-year-old woman, getting infected outside East Java, she said.
The governor informed that she had ordered the East Java Provincial Health Office and the East Java COVID-19 Task Force to keep monitoring and carrying out tracing of close contacts of the patient. This is because the XBB sub-variant has a quick transmission rate.
"The patient had mild symptoms. All close contacts have been tested and the results are negative. The patient has now been declared recovered or negative," she said.
The XBB sub-variant is reported to have caused a significant spike in cases in several countries, especially Singapore, she noted. Therefore, she appealed to all East Java residents to remain calm and not panic.
She said she expects people to keep maintaining and tightening the health protocols as a form of self- and family protection.
Besides calling for COVID-19 vaccinations, she instructed all hospitals, especially those under the authority of the East Java provincial government, to increase vigilance. Although COVID-19 cases in East Java are low, hospitals must not lose their grip on preparedness, Parawansa said.
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Translator: Louis S, Kenzu
Editor: Suharto
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