Minister Of Health Budi: Omicron COVID-19 Cases Entering Indonesia Without Symptoms

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin (Photo: DOK Ministry of Health)

JAKARTA - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 or the Omicron variant in Indonesia did not have symptoms or OTG.

It is known that based on the COVID-19 test, three janitors at the Wisma Atlet RSDC showed positive results for COVID-19. They were again subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS) examinations. As a result, one in three cases is exposed to the Omicron variant.

"One of the three positive Omiron, the other two not. These three people are asymptomatic. So, they are still healthy, no fever, no cough," said Budi in a virtual press conference, Thursday, December 16.

Budi then explained that this man was exposed to COVID-19 as of December 8. Then, the WGS sample of this janitor was sent to the Balitbangkes of the Ministry of Health on December 10, 2021 to carry out a whole genome sequencing examination.

"On December 15, the results of the whole genome sequencing came out, one was Omicron. They had taken a second PCR, and the PCR results were all negative," explained Budi.

The government also said that there were 5 probable cases of Omicron. The five people have not been confirmed by Omicron but through a series of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests with the S-gene target failure (SGTF) method, they are considered potential.

Two cases are Indonesian citizens who recently returned from the United States and the United Kingdom. They are still isolated at the Wisma Atlet. Then, foreigners from China who landed in Manado and were also quarantined in Manado.

"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," he said.