6 Omicron Variant Local Transmission Cases, Starting From Diplomats' Children To Couples On Vacation To Bali

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin/DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, announced that the number of positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 of the Omicron variant in Indonesia has reached 152 people. Six of them were detected exposed to the Omicron Variant from the local transmission.

"Of the 152, we know that six are local transmissions. Some came mostly in Jakarta, but some came from Medan, Bali, and Surabaya", Budi said in a press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Monday, January 3.

After the press conference, he explained, the six cases of the Omicron variant from local transmission consisted of two workers at Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital (RSDC) Kemayoran and two cases from a family from Medan who came to Jakarta.

The next case, said Budi, came from a diplomat's son and a couple who were on vacation from Bali. However, he did not specify the identity of the diplomat's son.

"One is a diplomat's son who was infected by his brother from outside, but he lives in Indonesia. Another is a couple who went on vacation to Bali, then he returned to Surabaya, and was identified in Surabaya", he said.

The Minister of Health said the Ministry of Health immediately traced the close contacts or tracing of the six cases of the local transmission Omicron variant.

For example, in the case of a Medan resident who came to Jakarta and was detected with the local transmission Omicron variant, his party immediately traced it to places that the patient had visited. Including restaurants in the SCBD area.

"From Medan, because he uses PeduliLindungi App well, we know he comes to any mall in Jakarta, to any restaurant. We swab one restaurant. Thank God he is now in close contact", he said.

Although the Omicron variant entered Indonesia, its transmission is relatively slow. Minister of Health Budi appealed to the public to strictly implement health protocols.

"Yes, we are inhibiting (the spread of the Omicron variant, ed), if the implementation of the health care process is disciplined and good, hopefully, it won't be as high as the others. Now it's just a prokes discipline contest", he concluded.