Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health reported that two COVID-19 patients infected with the Omicron JN.1 and XBB.2.3.10.1 (GE.1) subvariants in Batam, Riau Islands Province, had died.
"The results are based on an updated report on the verification of COVID-19 death cases from the Batam Public Health Laboratory (BTKL)," Head of the Indonesian Ministry of Health's Communication and Public Services Bureau, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, confirmed in Jakarta, Tuesday.
The ministry reported that the patient, with the initials FV, 48, male, who was confirmed positive for BA.2.86.1, which is from the JN.1 sub-lineage, died on December 18, 2023, at the Embung Fatimah Hospital.
Meanwhile, the patient with the initial GNS, 77, male, who was confirmed positive for the Omicron GE.1 Subvariant, died on December 21, 2023, at the Elizabeth Lubuk Baja Hospital.
The ministry stated that currently, there are three cases of COVID-19 patients in Batam, of which two had passed away while another is still being treated.
Tarmizi remarked that the ministry was still examining samples of the type of virus that infected the patient who is still being treated through the national laboratory network.
Earlier, the Batam City Health Service (Dinkes), Saturday (Dec 23), announced that a resident of Batuaji Sub-district in Batam, had died after being infected with the JN.1 variant of COVID-19.
According to data released on Friday (Dec 22), one patient was infected with the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 in the area.
During the 2023 Christmas holidays and before New Year 2024, the Ministry of Health noted that transmission of the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 in Indonesia had continued to increase, reaching 41 cases.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the case finding had been based on the results of Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) examinations of 77 samples, or 43 percent of the 453 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from November to early December 2023.
“Our sequence results for JN.1 are up. From only one percent at the beginning of November to 19 percent in the third week of November. Then, at the beginning of December, it was already 43 percent," the health minister stated during a press conference on Health Sector Preparedness for the 2023 Christmas and New Year 2024 holidays, Friday (Dec 22).
The minister explained that of the 41 cases found, five confirmed cases were found on November 6-23, 2023, comprising two cases from North Jakarta and one case each from South Jakarta, East Jakarta, and Batam.
Meanwhile, 36 other cases were found from sampling on December 1-12, 2023, comprising 29 cases detected in South Jakarta, two cases each from East Jakarta and North Jakarta, and three cases from Batam.
The minister revealed that most patients, or around 39 percent, were confirmed to be asymptomatic. From the 14 percent of symptomatic patients, most of them experienced cough, runny nose, and sore throat.
Meanwhile, some patients suffer from comorbidities, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, severe respiratory problems or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and immunological disorders.
With the continued increase in the number of positive patients, he appealed to the public to be disciplined in implementing health protocols to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19 and complete it by hastening vaccination at the nearest health service facility or vaccination post.
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