Jakarta Deputy Says No Deaths from Omicron Yet

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria claimed no death cases from the COVID-19 Omicron variant until today, January 5, albeit the city has detected 252 cases of the new coronavirus variant.

“We are grateful that no one died from Omicron in Jakarta. We hope that the number of this case will immediately drop,” said Riza at City Hall, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, January 5.

He explained that patients infected with the new variant of concern did not show severe symptoms as in the Delta variant. Some of them were even asymptomatic.

However, he encouraged the public to remain vigilant over the variant because it spreads faster than the other variants. “The hospital bed occupancy rate (BOR) has now increased to seven percent from previously four percent and [the occupancy rate] of ICU rises to 5 percent. This is a concern for us all,” said Riza.

To prevent further transmission, Riza said people who were confirmed to be positive for the Omicron variant were required to undergo isolation at Wisma Atlet and Sulianti Saroso Hospital or RSPI. Riza also asked people traveling abroad to be vigilant and always wear masks as most of the cases were imported ones.

As of Tuesday, January 4, the number of COVID-19 active cases in Jakarta was recorded at 768. This figure has doubled compared to that at the end of December 2021.

Read: Indonesia Now Logs 254 Cases of Omicron Variant

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH