Ministry Of Health Says 2 Batam Residents Infected With COVID-19 Died, One Of Them Is JN.1 Variant

Illustration of health workers preparing medical equipment for COVID-19 patients. (Between-Raisan Al Farisi)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) reported that two COVID-19 patients were infected with the Omicron JN.1 and XBB.2.3.10.1 (GE.1) subvariants in Batam City, Riau Islands Province (Kepri), died.

"The results are based on an update on the verification report on the COVID-19 death case from the Batam Community Health Laboratory (BTKL)," said Head of the Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, confirmed in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 26.

The Ministry of Health reported that a positive confirmed patient BA.2.86.1, which is a sub-lineage of JN.1 with the initials FV (48) male, died on December 18, 2023 at Embung Fatimah Hospital.

Meanwhile, a confirmed Omicron GE.1 subvariant patient was experienced by a resident with the initials GNS (77), male, died on December 21, 2023 at the Elizabeth Lubuk Baja Hospital (RS).

The report received by the Ministry of Health informed that three cases of COVID-19 patients in Batam City, two of whom died and the other are still being treated.

Nadia said the Ministry of Health was still examining samples of the type of virus that infected patients who were still in the process of being treated through the national laboratory network.

Previously, the Batam City Health Office (Dinkes), Saturday, December 23, announced that a resident of Batuaji District, Batam City, died after being infected with the JN.1 variant of COVID-19.

According to data released on Friday, December 22, there was one patient infected with the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 in the local area.

During the Christmas 2023 holiday and before the New Year 2023, the Ministry of Health noted that the spread of the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 in Indonesia continued to increase to 41 cases.

Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the findings of the case were based on the results of the Whole Genome Sequensing (WGS) examination of 77 samples or 43 percent of the 453 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from November to early December 2023.

Our result of the sequence for JN.1 has increased. Previously, only 1 percent in early November was 19 percent in the third week of November. Then in early December it was 43 percent," said the Minister of Health during a press conference on Health Sector Preparedness for the 2023 Christmas Holidays and 2023 New Year, Friday 22 December.

The Minister of Health explained that of the 41 cases found, five confirmed cases were found on November 6-23, 2023, with details of two cases from North Jakarta, one case from South Jakarta, one case from East Jakarta, and one case from Batam.

Meanwhile, 36 other cases were found from sampling on December 1-12, 2023, with details of 29 cases found in South Jakarta, two cases from East Jakarta, two cases from North Jakarta, and three cases from Batam.

The Minister of Health said the majority of patients or around 39 percent who were confirmed were asymptomatic. In 14 percent of patients with symptoms, the majority have coughs, runny noses, and sore throats.

Meanwhile, some patients suffer from comorbidities such asteger heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, severe respiratory problems or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and immunological disorders.

With the increasing number of positive patients, he appealed to the public to disciplinely implement health protocols (prokes) to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19 and complete it by moving vaccinations at the nearest health care facility (fasyankes) or vaccination post.