Alert Levels Remain High Despite Omicron Infection Logs Zero Deaths

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Covid-19 Omicron variant cases as of January 15 logged 748 cases and has increased the overall coronavirus cases to 1,054 cases. The last time the country logged daily cases above 1,000 was on October 14, 2021.

"Although there has been a significant increase in cases, so far, Omicron has not logged any deaths,” said Luhut Pandjaitan, Maritime Affairs and Investments Coordinating Minister on January 16. 

According to Luhut, who is also the appointed Java-Bali public activity restriction (PPKM) coordinator, guarantees the current health system is prepared to face an Omicron wave which is predicted to occur in mid-February to early March 2022.

Reported previously, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a press conference on Sunday predicts the spread of the Omicron Cocid-19 variant in the current stage is inevitable and will reach its peak in the middle of February or March of 2022. 

“People must prepare for a rapid spike in cases of the Omicron variant in Indonesia between 35-65 days since it entered Indonesia,” said the Health Minister on January 16. 

Despite this urgent reminder, the Minister asked people to avert from panicking as an Omicron onset will tend to be less lethal and will not burden the national healthcare system unlike last year’s Delta variant outbreak.

“This is evident in other countries where hospitalization is between 30-40 percent from Delta variant hospitalization,” said Gunadi. “Even though the number of cases will be larger and with faster transmission rate, the hospitalization will be lower.”

This leads to his public call for members of the public “To every member of society, no need to panic if cases spike. Remain alert and we will closely monitor the hospitalization numbers.”

However, health experts from the University of Indonesia (UI) faculty of medicine Erlina Burhan and Siti Setiati reminded people to not misunderstand the narrative stating that Omicron is not as lethal as previous variants. 

“This variant is still being researched, it is less severe than Delta, but it is still being researched. This can increase if we are not firm in reducing transmission,” said Siti on Friday last week. 

Read: Omicron Onset Inevitable But 'No Need To Panic,' Says Health Minister

DEWI NURITA