Omicron BA.4 And BA.5 Cases In Indonesia Increase To 8 Patients

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin (left). (Between)

JAKARTA - Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that the total number of cases of COVID-19 subvariants Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 in Indonesia as of Monday 13 June was eight patients.

"There are already 8 cases in Indonesia, 3 of which are imported cases. Foreign arrivals from Mauritus, the United States, and Brazil who came during the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction event (23-28 May 2022) in Bali," said Budi at a press conference at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Monday 13 June.

While the other five cases are local transmission. The four cases of local transmission were detected in Jakarta, and another case was detected in Bali, which is a medical personnel who came from Jakarta.

"So indeed this local transmission has occurred in Jakarta," said Budi.

The Minister of Health also added that of the eight people who were infected with BA.4 and BA.5, only one person had moderate symptoms and had not received a third or booster dose of vaccine.

Meanwhile, seven other infected people have received boosters and have had mild and asymptomatic infections.

"So the government really encourages people to complete vaccinations and booster vaccinations, as well as continue to carry out health protocols according to government recommendations," he said.

Furthermore, based on the Antara report, Budi explained that several countries in the world were experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases with the cause being the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

Based on the Minister of Health's observations regarding the development of similar cases in the world, it was found that the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants caused an increase in cases, but the peak of the increase in cases, hospitalization rates, and mortality rates was much lower than the previously detected Omicron subvariance.

"We also observed this particularly in South Africa, where these BA.4 and BA.5 variants were first identified, and our observations suggest that the peak of BA.4 and BA.5 transmission is about a third of the peak of Delta and Omicron. Hospitalization cases are also one-third of Delta and Omicron cases, while the death cases are one-tenth of Delta and Omicron," he concluded.