DKI Deputy Governor Calls Omicron Cases Found In Indonesia Entered Through Foreigners

JAKARTA - The government announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 or Omicron today. One Omicron case that has been detected has infected the cleaning staff at the Wisma Atlet RSDC.

Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, revealed that the Omicron case was detected through foreigners who came to Indonesia.

"We received information through the Ministry of Health that Omicron entered Jakarta via foreign nationals and there are our people (WNI) who are now at Wisma Atlet," said Riza at DKI City Hall, Thursday, December 16.

Riza said that the janitor who was exposed to Omicron was not a resident of Jakarta. He only works at Wisma Atlet.

"The information we received was not a resident of Jakarta," said Riza.

However, Riza said that the DKI Health Office is currently conducting a re-check to confirm the information received by the DKI Provincial Government.

After Omicron's findings in Jakarta, Riza said the DKI Provincial Government was strengthening 3T efforts, namely testing, tracing, and treatment. Then, there is an increase in supervision of every traveler from abroad.

"Of course what needs to be improved is that all of us, the central and local governments, ensure that all processes entering Jakarta must be further improved by those concerned from abroad to ensure that those concerned are not exposed to the Omicron variant," Riza explained.

It is known that three cleaners at the Wisma Atlet RSDC showed positive results for COVID-19. They were exposed to COVID-19 as of December 8 last.

Then, the janitor's WGS sample was sent to the Balitbangkes of the Ministry of Health on December 10, 2021 to carry out a whole genome sequencing examination. As a result, one in three cases was exposed to the Omicron variant as of December 15th. They have now returned to PCR and showed negative results.