Its transmission rate is faster compared to BA.5
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has continued to be intensified amid an increase in the number of domestic COVID-19 cases, Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Syahril informed at an online press conference on COVID-19 case development on Thursday.

"Sequencing examination is being intensified for treated patients, whether in isolation or in ICU," he said.

The WGS examination has followed an upward trend in domestic cases suspected to be caused by the XBB and BQ.1 sub-variants that have started to dominate infections, he explained.

"Currently, there are 48 XBB cases spread across several provinces, but not all provinces," he informed.

The emergence of the XBB sub-variant shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over. The public is urged to follow the health protocols and take the COVID-19 booster vaccination to improve their protection, he said.

The XBB sub-variant produces milder symptoms in patients compared to the previous variants. The majority of the sub-variant patients have recovered, the spokesperson noted.

Though the XBB sub-variant produces less severe symptoms than other corona variants, its transmission rate tends to be faster compared to previous Omicron sub-variants, Syahril explained.

"XBB, including XBB1, is a mutation from the BA.2 and BA.2.75. Its transmission rate is faster compared to BA.5. However, like its predecessors BA.4 and BA.5, its severity rate is lower," he informed.

The XBB sub-variant infects adults most frequently rather than children. There are children patients, but their number is low, he noted.

Syahril also highlighted that the COVID-19 case percentage, death toll, and bed occupancy ratio (BOR) in Indonesia have risen within a week.

"As a summary for this week, the confirmed cases rose 47.24 percent. From five thousand-ish cases, it rose to 6,100-ish cases," he said.

"The daily death toll is 47 people, yesterday, within a week, it was 37 people. Meanwhile, the BOR rose by around 30 percent," he added.

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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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