People Urged to Continue Observing Health Protocols as Locally Transmitted Omicron Case Detected

As the first locally transmitted Omicron case was detected in capital Jakarta, Ministry of Health reminds the people to remain disciplined in observing health protocols.

“Following the finding of this local transmission case, the Government once again reminds and urges the people to reduce mobility, especially during Christmas and New Year holidays. Do avoid crowds and always wear a facemask. Let us convince our relatives who have not been vaccinated to immediately get vaccinated,” Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccination Spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmidzi said in her press statement broadcasted online, Tuesday (12/28).

The locally transmitted case increased the number of confirmed positive Omicron case in Indonesia to 47 cases, in which 46 cases are imported and one case is local transmission.

“The newest is the case of a 37-year-old man who has no history of traveling abroad in the past few months or contact with international travelers,” she said, adding that the patient lives with his wife in North Sumatra capital of Medan and travels to Jakarta once a month.

Nadia also pointed out that the patient and his wife arrived in Jakarta on December 6 and visited Ashta District 8 mall in Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) on December 17.

On December 19, they had an antigen test at Grand Family Hospital in Jakarta before returning to Medan, but the patient’s test result tested positive for COVID-19, while his wife’s test result was negative, she added.

Afterward, Nadia stated, the patient took a PCR test on December 20 and on December 26, tests at GSI (Genomik Solidaritas Indonesia) Laboratory confirmed that it is an Omicron case, adding that the patient is isolated at Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital (RSPI) albeit having no symptoms.

According to Nadia, this is the first locally transmitted case; thus, it requires strict supervision by health care workers and complete facilities to minimize the possibility of transmission.

“Infection control at a hospital will be better and the supervision will be stricter. Therefore, we brought the patient to RSPI,” she said, adding that tracing is still carried out considering the patient carried out many activities.

Nadia further said that close contacts from December 19 or 14 days before the patient was confirmed positive are being traced, including those who were at a restaurant in the SCBD area, the apartment where the patient lives, and other places he visited in Jakarta.

Nadia also stressed that the Government always monitors the increasing risk of COVID-19 transmission, be it at a province level or regency level.

“The Central Government and regional governments continue to work with all parties to carry on monitoring, especially if potentials of cluster formation appear. It can speed up investigation and assessment whether there is a relation with the new Omicron variant or not,” she remarked. (PR of Ministry of Health/UN) (DH/EP)

The official website of Ministry of Health can be accessed through this link.