East Java COVID-19 Task Force Ensures No Omicron Variant Has Been Found

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

SURABAYA - The East Java COVID-19 Task Force will conduct a Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) test on COVID-19 patients who have a CT Value below 20. This is done to anticipate the transmission of the Omicron variant of covid-19.

"This was done when finding the Alfa, Delta, and Delta Plus variants some time ago. Right now you are focusing on doing WGS, anticipating the Omicron variant, but in East Java, it was not found", said Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Makhyan Jibril Al-Farabi, confirmed on Monday, November 29, 2021.

CT Value is a term to describe the number of viral particles present in the patient's body. The infectious level or a person's ability to transmit the virus can also be assessed from the CT Value.

The higher a person's CT score, the lower their chances of spreading an infecting virus. Otherwise. the lower a person's CT Value, the more infectious the patient is.

"If a patient is detected to have a CT Value below 20, we will send it to Universitas Airlangga Surabaya for WGS. Thus, we can map the location", he said.

In addition to WGS, several other things that have been done are closing access from abroad, both from South Africa, where the Omicron variant is being spread and from other countries.

"Juanda International Airport is closed. But in the sea area (sea transportation) we have to be careful", he said.

Jibril reminded the case of the discovery of the Delta and Delta Plus variants, these variants were discovered after an Indonesian Migrant Worker (PMI) entered East Java via the port. In fact, at that time the port was heavily guarded.

"Juanda has indeed been closed, but at the port where there is a possibility of international travel, we must watch out. If there is a possibility of international travel, we will isolate it if there is a possibility of infection of a new variant", he said.