Former WHO Director of Infectious Diseases for Southeast Asia, Professor Tjandra Yoga Aditama, conveyed the report based on data analysis published by the WHO in edition 162.
"Indonesia is one of the 36 countries in the world that consistently reports new cases admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19," he stated via a short message on Wednesday.
According to Aditama, data presented by the WHO showed a 255-percent increase in the number of hospitalization cases in Indonesia during the period. From the initial 41 cases, the number spiked to 149 cases.
In general, the compilation of data from 36 countries showed that 12 countries, or the equivalent of 33 percent, including Indonesia, showed an increase in hospitalization cases due to COVID-19, the professor stated.
The latest WHO report also showed a 500-percent increase in COVID-19 cases being treated at ICUs in Indonesia, although the cases are still relatively low, reaching 18 cases, Aditama pointed out.
"Based on the WHO report, Indonesia recorded the highest number of cases in the Southeast Asia region in the November 20-December 17 period, with 3,725 new cases, or 1.4 new cases per 100 thousand people," he remarked.
As an illustration of other countries, Thailand reported 2,120 new cases, or three new cases per 100 thousand people, an increase of 79 percent from the previous 28 days' data, he stated.
With regard to the mortality cases, the WHO report stated that there were 12 deaths due to COVID-19 in Indonesia in the same period, with no comparative data from the previous 28 days.
"If we can take an example from Thailand, they had 16 COVID-19 deaths in the November 20-December 17 period, a 220-percent increase from the previous 28 days," Aditama stated.
Aditama, who is also a pulmonologist from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (UI), remarked that the current increase in COVID-19 cases is caused by several factors, namely a decrease in population immunity in general, the gap between the latest vaccination and the current situation, and increasing public mobility at the end of the year.
"The role of a new variant, such as JN.1, in increasing the COVID-19 cases is still being studied. However, since December 18, the WHO declared the JN.1 variant as a variant of interest (VOI)," he revealed.
Aditama then urged the public to immediately complete their COVID-19 vaccination and implement health protocols.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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