Covid-19 Update: Omicron XBB Subvariant Transmits Faster than BA.5, BA.2

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government's spokeswoman for COVID-19, Dr. Reisa Broto Asmoro, said that the Omicron XBB subvariant spread faster than previous sub variants BA.5 and BA.2. The XBB subvariant transmits 0.79 times faster than the BA.5.

"When we look at the XBB wave in Singapore, it turns out to have a transmission rate that is faster by 0.79 times compared to the BA.5 wave variant, and 0.46 times the BA.2 wave," Reisa said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Thursday, October 27.

The good news is, she said, XBB subvariant have symptoms similar to other Omicron subvariants. In fact, the XBB has a lower fatality rate than other Omicron sub-variants.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms of the XBB variant include fever, feeling cold, cough, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, stuffy nose or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and shortness of breath.

In Indonesia, four Covid-19 patients with the XBB subvariant experienced cough and mild flu-like symptoms. "We can say that the symptoms are generally mild," Reisa said.

Reisa reminded how—based on previous waves—case surges always happen when a new variant or subvariant emerges. "We have to learn [from Singapore] to raise awareness. We mustn't have another case spike in Indonesia," she said.

On Wednesday, October 26, Indonesia reported 3,048 new confirmed cases of Covid-19. On October 24, there were only 1,703 cases reported and by the next day, October 25, there were 3,008 new cases.

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