Gov’t Boosts Surveillance, Tightens Quarantine as Global Omicron Cases Spike

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin delivers his statement online at press conference after attending the Limited Meeting on PPKM (12/120) (Photo by: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Rahmat)

The Government continues to take measures to anticipate the spike in Omicron variant of COVID-19 cases as there has been an eightfold increase of cases in the past week globally.

The number has increased from 7,900 cases to 62,342 cases.

“Supported by the Indonesian National Defense Force (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and Ministry of Home Affairs, we will strengthen surveillance and quarantine policy at every entry point through sea and land,” Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a statement after attending the Limited Meeting on public activity restrictions (PPKM), Monday (12/20).

According to Budi, the Government in the past week has monitored and conducted PCR tests and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) tests. The results, he added, showed that positivity rate of international travelers arriving through sea and land entry points is higher than that of air entry points.

In addition to the test method, Budi pointed out that the Government also carried out PCR test with S Gene Target Failure (STGF) method, which is able to quickly detect the variants of COVID-19.

This SGTF method is a marker method able to detect Omicron variant within only 4-6 hours.

Regarding the Omicron variant cases detected on Indonesian soil, Budi emphasized that all Omicron variant cases in Indonesia are imported cases, adding that the Government will continue to strengthen borders to anticipate imported cases of COVID-19 including Omicron variant cases.

“We must tighten borders from international arrivals and strengthen quarantine policy so we can anticipate imported cases from Niger, London, Guyana, and the US,” he remarked. (RF/AIT/UN) (AP/EP)