One Omicron Case Detected In Indonesia, Five Others Still Probable

Illustration (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said there were five probable or suspected cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 or Omicron variant in Indonesia. This was revealed after it was found that one Indonesian citizen was exposed to Omicron.

Budi said, of the five probable cases, the three cases were foreign nationals (foreigners) from China who arrived in Manado.

"The other three probable cases are foreign nationals from China who came to Manado and are currently in isolation and quarantine in Manado," Budi said in a virtual press conference, Thursday, December 16.

Then, the other two probable Omicron cases were Indonesian citizens who had just returned from the United States and Britain. The two Indonesian citizens are currently being isolated at Wisma Atlet.

"Once again, these five people are still probable because they have just been tested by PCR with special markers and the positive PCR samples from these five probable cases have been sent to Balitbangkes and we are running genome sequencing tests, in the next three days we can confirm whether this is true. is this Omicron or not," explained Budi.

Previously, Budi revealed the news that Indonesia had cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 or the Omicron variant. Budi explained that Omicron was detected from a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) examination of the cleaning staff at Wisma Atlet Jakarta.

"There are 3 cleaning workers at the Wisma Atlet Hospital who tested positive for the PCR, but one person confirmed positive for Omicron on December 15," he said.

Budi explained that this man was initially exposed to COVID-19 on December 8. Then, the WGS sample of this janitor was sent to the Balitbangkes of the Ministry of Health on December 10, 2021.

"The Ministry of Health last night detected a patient with the initials N confirmed Omicron on December 15, 2021, we have confirmed the data with GISAID and it has been confirmed again from GISAID that this data is indeed Omicron sequenced data," said Budi.

Budi said the three positive people, including one case of Omicron, had been quarantined at Wisma Atlet and had no symptoms; there is no fever, no cough, and has been tested by PCR again 3 days later and the results are negative for COVID-19.

"They have taken a second PCR, and the PCR results are all negative," said Budi.