Ministry Of Health: 87 Percent Of COVID-19 Cases In Indonesia Omicron BA.5

Illustration of health workers tackling national COVID-19 cases. (Between)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Mohammad Syahril said as many as 87 percent of COVID-19 cases circulating in Indonesia were a new sub-variant, namely BA.5.

"For information, there are already 87 percent of the BA.5 sub-variant, it has dominated this COVID-19 (pandemic). So (the trend) has shifted to the BA.5 sub-variant,” said Syahril in an online 'Healthy Broadcast with Doctor Reisa', Monday, July 4.

Syahril stated that although the BA.5 sub-variant had dominated, the symptoms caused in COVID-19 patients were no more severe than the Omicron variant, which had caused a spike in cases in early 2022.

The milder symptoms compared to Delta and Omicron then make the occupancy of beds in hospitals (BOR) currently ranges from eight to nine percent.

"So if we look at the data here, only eight to nine percent of those who are sick are moderate. So it's not like the previous Delta or Omicron, so you don't have to worry about the level of malignancy or the severity, it's not too severe, so we are more people without symptoms (OTG) and only mild symptoms," he said, according to Antara.

Right now, the most important thing, said Syahril, is the vigilance built by both the government and the community so that they don't get carried away with controlled conditions, so that hospital occupancy does not spike high and reduce the potential for death in COVID-19 patients.

“Together vigilance means that the community must also be vigilant, especially the government. The only thing we have to be careful of is to do and prevent transmission. The second is controlling, if people have been hit, it's okay, but the important thing is to control it so it's not too heavy," said Syahril.

As a form of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the government itself has begun to re-implement policy easing to follow the trend of ups and downs of positive cases in the community.

As emphasized in the COVID-19 Task Force Circular No. 20 of 2022 regarding health protocols for implementing large-scale activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, which will take effect as of June 21, 2022.

The government has also again increased the capacity for COVID-19 testing and tracking of positive cases. Various health facilities have also been prepared if a spike in BA.5 cases occurs in Indonesia.

"The Minister has also issued a circular to all hospitals, especially in Jakarta, to be vigilant. In the past, if there was a spike in treatment, we were ready. I think the Wisma Atlet is good, they are ready," said Syahril.

Syahril hopes that with all the government's efforts coupled with the implementation of strict health protocols in the community, COVID-19 control can be successful and prevent severe symptoms in COVID-19 patients.