COVID-19 Cases Return To 'Crazy', Jokowi: Expected And Anticipated Hospitals, Medicines, Oxygen To Healthcare

President Jokowi when leaving for Ajibata Port, Toba Regency (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Laily Rachev)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the public to remain calm amid the increase in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. He said the government had been preparing and anticipating so that the current condition was still under control.

This statement was made by the president in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases which reached 27,197 on Thursday, February 3. Jokowi said his staff had prepared hospitals, facilities and health workers.

"This spike has been predicted and anticipated by the government with our preparations which are much better than previous years, both in terms of hospitals, medicines and oxygen, isolation facilities, and health workers," he said in a video caption that was uploaded. on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Thursday, January 3.

"And the condition of the hospital is still under control," he added.

Furthermore, Jokowi said, this Omicron variant did spread faster but the fatality rate was lower when compared to the Delta variant. So, people are asked not to panic about the current situation.

"I ask your father, mother and brothers to remain calm," he said.

"The Omicron variant has a high transmission rate but the fatality rate is lower than the Delta variant. This can be seen from the COVID cases in several countries where the hospital occupancy rate is relatively low. Including in our country, Indonesia," concluded Jokowi.

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) released the latest additional positive cases of COVID-19 as of today. A total of 473,142 specimens were examined with the results of 27,197 new positive cases of COVID-19.

"The total accumulated positive cases since COVID-19 was discovered in Indonesia has reached 4,414,483 people and active cases have increased by 21,166 to 115,275 cases," said Ministry of Health data, Thursday, February 3.

Today's recovered cases have increased to 5,993 cases, bringing the total to 4,154,797 recovered people. Then, the positive confirmed cases who died increased by 38 people and a total of 144,411 people.

The province with the highest new cases was DKI Jakarta with 10,117 cases and a total of 938,992 cases. Followed by West Java with 7,308 new cases with a total of 742,153 cases. Banten has 4,312 new cases and a total of 155,226 cases. Then, Bali with 1,501 new cases and a total of 119,487 cases.

The province with the most recovered cases today belongs to DKI Jakarta with an additional 4,400 recovered cases. Followed by East Java with an additional 542 recovered cases, Banten with an additional 542 recovered cases. And West Java with an additional 213 cases recovered

In addition, the number of specimens that have been examined using RT-PCR, TCM, and antigens reached 73,158,699.