It Turns Out That The Omicron BF.7 Variant Of COVID-19 Has BEEN In Indonesia Since October, But The Ministry Of Health Is Not Worried

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi during the inauguration of the biofarmasi factory PT Etana Biotechnologies in the Pulogadung Industrial Estate (JIEP), Jakarta, Friday, October 7, 2022. (doc. Setkab-Rahmat)

JAKARTA - The Omicron BF.7 variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Indonesia since last October. Omicron BF.7 is one of the triggers for a spike in COVID-19 cases in China.

However, the Head of the Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, admitted that her party was not worried that this condition would also trigger an increase in cases in Indonesia.

"We are not too worried because since October it was discovered, there are still XBB variants that dominate and there are no signs of an increase in BF.7 until now," Nadia told reporters, Friday, December 30.

To date, there have been 15 cases of COVID-19 variant BF.7 in Indonesia. Two of them are in Jakarta. All infected patients only experience mild symptoms and are now recovering.

"The symptoms are more like flu. All patients are self-isolating and all are healthy," said Nadia.

Previously, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that currently there was no spike in COVID-19 cases due to community mobility. "What is the evidence? The proof is that yesterday's Eid (COVID-19 cases) we didn't increase, the balls (world championships), the G20, we didn't go up," said Budi.

Budi explained that other variants that have entered Indonesia recently are BA.5, BA.2.75, BQ.1, and XBB. However, now the number of cases in the country has passed its peak.

"Yang BA.5 di kita sudah lewat cyclenya, yang BA.275 sudah lewat, tinggal yang BF.7 ini sudah kita lihat di Indonesia sudah ada. Kenaikannya itu kecil, 15 kasusnya," ujar Budi.

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Prof. Wiku Adisasmito, said that in general, the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia was controlled by a low rate of cases below the positivity rate indicator set by WHO at five percent.

However, Wiku reminded the public about the potential for case imports from a number of countries that are experiencing a spike in cases, such as in China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Germany.

"The Ministry of Health conducts genomic surveillance to observe variants and subvariants circulating in Indonesia. If there is an introduction of a new variant from abroad, it will be detected early," he said.