Minister of Health: Most COVID-19 patients in hospitals have mild symptoms

DOC/Health workers take patients to the treatment room for COVID-19 patients at the UGD Pinere Regional General Hospital in Banda Aceh City, Aceh Province. (ANTARA PHOTO/Ampelsa)

JAKARTA - Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that most of the COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital experienced mild to moderate symptoms.

"There are relatively few severe and critical ones. The use of oxygen is also minimal. So many mild and moderate (symptoms) are being treated", he said, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, November 8.

According to the Minister of Health, on November 6, 2022, 4,523 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, with details of 4,295 undergoing isolation and 228 undergoing intensive care.

Among the COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital, there were 706 patients with no symptoms, 1,890 patients with mild symptoms, 1,658 patients with moderate symptoms, 201 patients with severe symptoms, and 29 patients with critical conditions.

According to Budi, most of the COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital are aged 19 to 59 years. "The dominance of the elderly is also very high", he said.

Among the COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment at the hospital, there were two people were reported to have died.

The Minister of Health said the current death rate of patients due to COVID-19 was much lower than the death rate of patients during the transmission of the Delta variant of the Coronavirus.

The current increase in COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia is influenced by the spread of the Omicron subvariant Coronavirus, including Omicron BA.2.75, Omicron XBB, and Omicron BQ.1.

The government, continued Minister of Health, Budi, is still conducting counseling regarding the implementation of health protocols and carrying out vaccinations, examinations, case tracing, and handling patients to cope with the transmission of COVID-19.

The government encourages citizens to undergo a third dose of vaccination or a booster dose to increase their body's resistance to the COVID-19 coronavirus and its variants.