Hence, if (the number of new cases) in Indonesia is still below 8 thousand cases (per day), it is still within the WHO safe limit.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has assured that the number of COVID-19 cases ahead of 1444 Hijri/2023 Eid al-Fitr is still under control, although 7 Arcturus infections have been detected in Indonesia so far.

The government has scheduled the joint leave period for 1444 Hijri Eid al-Fitr from April 19–25, 2023, as the holy day has been estimated to fall on April 22.

"(The first) Arcturus (case) was found (in Indonesia) about three weeks (ago) and (infection transmission) is now spreading, thus (the number of cases) may increase (later),” the minister noted here on Tuesday.

As per the Health Ministry’s serology survey, 99 percent of the Indonesian population already has antibody levels of 3 thousand International Units per Milliliter (IU/mL), he said.

That figure far exceeds the standard of antibody protection provided by convalescent plasma, which only reaches 250 IU/mL, he added.

Thus, if an infected person has received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, they may not suffer from serious symptoms, Sadikin said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the maximum number of daily additional cases under Level 1 COVID-19 status in Indonesia at 8 thousand, he noted.

"Hence, if (the number of new cases) in Indonesia is still below 8 thousand cases (per day), it is still within the WHO safe limit," he said.

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force reported 1,343 additional cases on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the number of active cases increased by 752.

The bed occupancy rate of COVID-19 patients rose from 2.32 percent to 3.50 percent in the two weeks to April 17, 2023. However, the number of patients undergoing isolation and intensive care in all provinces in Indonesia remained below 20 percent.

Head of the communication and public services bureau of the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said that although the number of cases has increased, the mortality rate of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is still quite low.

“It means that many (people) are positive, but the symptoms are mild and can be cured in a short time," she added.

The government has received 24,096 doses of the antiviral drug Paxlovid as a grant from Australia to handle COVID-19 patients in Indonesia, she said.

As of Tuesday, 5 additional people — 2 from Surabaya and 3 from Jakarta — have been reported to have been exposed to the Arcturus sub-variant in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the first two people to be infected with the new sub-variant have recovered. (INE)

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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Uyu Liman
Editor: Atman Ahdiat
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