COVID-19 Cases Predicted To Increase Until The End Of February Due To Omicron, Minister Of Health: Alert And Not Jealous

JAKARTA - Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, predicts the number of COVID-19 cases in the country will continue to increase. This increase is said to occur until the end of February due to the Omicron variant.

"What we want to convey is that the transmission (of the Omicron variant, ed) is very high and Indonesia will definitely experience this (an increase in COVID-19 cases, ed)", Budi said in a press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Monday, January 31.

Budi said that at this time the transmission of the Omicron variant could not be confirmed. However, reflecting on several countries, positive cases due to this variant are higher than the Delta variant.

The Minister of Health revealed data in various countries about the Omicron variant. In the United States, said Budi, the peak of the spread of the variant resulted in 800,000 people being tested positive every day.

"In the United States, we see their peak at 800,000 cases per day compared to Delta of 250,000 cases per day. In France, we see the peak is still rising at 360,000 cases per day compared to Delta of 60 thousand per day", he said.

"A country similar to ours, Brazil, is still rising at around 190,000 per day compared to the peak of Delta at 80,000 per day", he added.

With this condition, Budi believes the Omicron variant will increase the number of positive cases in the country. Thus, he asked all parties without exception to be prepared and alert.

"We still don't know how many peaks will occur in Indonesia, which we estimate will occur at the end of February. But we have said that in other countries it can be three to six times compared to the peak of Delta where the peak of Delta in Indonesia is 57,000 cases per day, "said the Minister of Health.

"Therefore, we ask to remain vigilant, please remain careful", he added.

Minister of Health Budi also asked the public to reduce activities outside the home if there is no urgent need. This must be done to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially the Omicron variant.

"If there is no crowding or mobility, yes, we will reduce it because later the impact will be easily infected and infect other people", he concluded.