Jakarta, 16/2/2022 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is currently witnessing the third wave of COVID-19 infections triggered by the Omicron variant, which, though less deadly, is much more infectious than the Delta variant.
The country added 64,718 daily COVID-19 cases on February 16, 2022, surpassing the second waves peak single-day addition of 56,757 cases on July 15, 2021.
Most of the new infections reported were contributed by West Java (14,058), followed by Jakarta (9,482), East Java (7,528), Banten (6,509), Central Java (3,514), and Bali (1,862), according to the Task Force for COVID-19 Handling.
The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020, while the Ministry of Health detected the first Omicron infection on December 15, 2021.
As of February 15, 2022, the countrys total COVID-19 case count has reached 4,901,328, while total recoveries have been recorded at 4,349,848 and total deaths at 145,455.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 spike, the situation is relatively under control as the hospital bed occupancy rate is quite low, and medicines and supporting facilities are adequately available, officials said.
Taking note of the surge, President Joko
Widodo (Jokowi) has asked citizens to remain calm and disciplined in
implementing the health protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19
transmission.
"I call on the people at large to stay calm,
disciplined in implementing the health protocols, and reduce their
unnecessary activities," he tweeted on his official Twitter account on
February 13, 2022.
Omicron is more transmissible, but its
infection fatality rate is less severe than the Delta variant, he noted
while urging unvaccinated Indonesians to get the shots immediately.
"The COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are also needed for eligible persons who fully get vaccinated," he said.
