Revealed The Beginning Of Omicron Variant In Indonesia

JAKARTA - The origin of the first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 found in Indonesia has been revealed. The source of the case came from an Indonesian citizen (WNI) from Nigeria who arrived in Indonesia on November 27, 2021.

It is known, the Ministry of Health discovered the first case of Omicron on Wednesday, December 15. The patient named N who is a worker at Wisma Atlet, Kemayoran.

 

Surprisingly, N has no travel history from abroad. Currently, the status of N has been declared negative for COVID-19. The Ministry of Health has conducted a search by looking for sources within the past 14 days. The Ministry of Health has tracked all positive Indonesian citizens at Wisma Atlet on 24 November-3 December 2021.

 

Then, the Omicron variant was found indicated in TF patients. He arrived from Nigeria on November 27, 2021. "After tracing the cases of Indonesian citizens who were positive for COVID-19 at the Wisma Atlet for the past 14 days, it is most likely that the index case (first case) of Omicron was an Indonesian citizen, with the initials TF, aged 21, who arrived from Nigeria on November 27, 2021," said Head of the Bureau of Communication and Community Services, Widyawati, in a written statement, Sunday, December 19. From this search, it was recorded that 169 Indonesian citizens from abroad were quarantined at Wisma Atlet between 24 November to 3 December 2021.

 

In that note, there is one person, namely TF, who is indicated to be the Omicron variant. Now the TF PCR results have been declared negative.

 

However, Widyawati said the patient was probable with a high probability of contracting Omicron.

 

 

Two New Omicron Cases Appear

 

The spokesperson for the COVID-19 Vaccination of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said the two latest cases of the Omicron variant found in Indonesia did not have symptoms.

"Both of them are asymptomatic," said Nadia, Sunday, December 19.

However, Nadia said, currently there has been no further examination of the two patients. Because she said, the two are said to have not finished their isolation period.

"It has not been re-examined because it is not yet time to finish carrying out the isolation," she said.

Previously, the Ministry of Health announced that two new cases were detected in Indonesia on Saturday, December 18. Both are Indonesian citizens, the man with the initials IKWJ is 42 years old and M is 50 years old and has just arrived from abroad.

"The two most recent confirmed patients are IKWJ, 42 years old, male, traveling from South America, and M, 50 years old, male, traveling from England. Currently, both are undergoing quarantine at Wisma Athletes," said Siti Nadia Tarmizi, Thursday, December 18th.

The two newest patients were confirmed by Omicron after undergoing mandatory 10-day quarantine upon returning from abroad. The confirmation is the result of examining samples from five probable Omicron cases who recently returned from abroad. The other three are known to be Chinese foreign workers.

This finding is the result of a special SGTF examination conducted by the Health Research and Development Agency on 14 and 15 December.

The following is the distribution of cases of the Omicron variant in Indonesia:

Jakarta

1. Patient N

The first case of the Omicron variant announced on Thursday, December 16, was found at the Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

The patient with the initials N has not recently returned from abroad. She is a cleaning worker at Wisma Atlet, Kemayoran. Now, patient N has tested negative for Corona.

2. Patient IKWJ 

Patient IKWJ (42) recently returned from South America. This man is currently undergoing quarantine at the Wisma Atlet. The previous IKWJ was probable Omicron which was later confirmed positive.

IKWJ patients are asymptomatic even though they are positive for Omicron. At this time there has been no further examination of him because he is still undergoing isolation.

3. Patient M

Patient M (50) has just returned from a trip to England. Just like IKWJ, M is probable Omicron which was later confirmed positive.

The man is currently still undergoing quarantine at the Wisma Atlet and is asymptomatic.

Manado

Currently, there are 3 probable Omicron in Manado. This finding came from six people who were positive for COVID-19. They are all Chinese Citizens. The six Chinese nationals came to Indonesia to work on Indonesian national projects.

The six Chinese nationals only transited in Manado, the project location they wanted to go to was not in Manado. Of the 6 Chinese citizens who were positive for COVID-19, 3 of them were probable Omicron.

There is no certainty whether the 3 Chinese citizens actually got Omicron. The certainty must wait for the results of whole genome sequencing (WGS). Until now, their status was 'probable'.