"The COVID-19 (pandemic) situation is very under control. The BOR at hospitals (based on data on March 6-12, 2023) is only five percent," Head of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Immunization section of the Jakarta Health Office Ngabila Salama stated via a text message here on Monday.
She noted that although the trend of BOR at hospitals is quite good, the government needs to monitor it for the next one to two weeks ahead to anticipate a potential surge in cases and deaths, considering that virus mutation still occurs.
Based on data that the office compiled in 2022, some 85 percent of the patients that died had not been vaccinated for more than six months since the last vaccine dose they had received, and most of them had not taken the booster doses.
As many as 90 percent of the patients that succumbed to the disease were people with comorbidities, such as diabetes and hypertension, while 95 percent of the deceased patients were aged above 40 years.
"Based on the death toll data in the last week (March 6-12), we found three (death) cases; all aged above 50 years, with very severe comorbidities. Two people have not been vaccinated at all, and the other one has only received the first dose," she explained.
Considering that the potential for a surge in cases still exists, Salama appealed to everyone to maintain their health, especially in facing the not-so-good weather and extreme rainy season lately.
Maintaining health is deemed necessary, as people’s immunity levels could decline due to exhaustion, stress, sleep deprivation, and lack of exercise or vegetable and fruit consumption.
"These usually cause the trend of respiratory tract infection to increase, likewise with COVID-19," she added.
To this end, she appealed to people to lead a healthy lifestyle and follow health protocols. Members of the community are also encouraged to immediately complete their vaccinations to prevent deaths and long COVID.
Salama called on people aged 18 years and above to promptly get the fourth vaccine dose or second booster dose. She believes that the provision of a second booster dose to people aged 18 years and above can increase their antibody levels by threefold.
Related news: Gov't records increase in hospital BOR and COVID-19 positivity rate
Related news: Jakarta's COVID-19 hospital bed occupancy rate declined to 59 percent
Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
