WGS data from the Indonesian Genome Surveillance Network indicate that Indonesia has conducted 10,731 WGS analyses this year, compared with only 140 samples tested in 2020.
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AHMAD ARIF/PRADIPTA PANDU MUSTIKA
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AFP/ WILLIAM WEST
International travellers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) arrive at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport on November 29, 2021 as Australia records it's first cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The domination of the Delta variant in Indonesia is decreasing as the discovery of Omicron cases increases. Although the majority of cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant have been international travelers, community transmission needs to be anticipated. In order to support contact tracing, the government is importing machines to detect this variant.
Safarina G. Malik, a senior researcher at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology of the National Research and Innovation Agency, presented the results of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in Indonesia in Jakarta on Monday (27/12/2021). “Most Omicron cases come from international travelers,” she said.
WGS data from the Indonesian Genome Surveillance Network indicate that Indonesia has conducted 10,731 WGS analyses this year, compared with only 140 samples tested in 2020. WGS analysis is carried out by the Health Ministry’s Health Research and Development Agency and the Eijkman Institute, as well as 19 laboratories in the regions.
Meanwhile, the Alpha (B.1.17), Beta (B.1.351) and Gamma (P.1) variants are no longer circulating in the country.
Two variants of concern that have been detected in the country in December are the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant with 206 cases of its derivative strains and the Omicron (B.1.1.59) variant, with 46 cases. Meanwhile, the Alpha (B.1.17), Beta (B.1.351) and Gamma (P.1) variants are no longer circulating in the country.
Based on the data, while the Delta variant and its derivatives were found in 98.9 percent of the samples analyzed using WGS in Indonesia, the figure had declined to 81.4 percent in December.
The Omicron variant found in Indonesia is descended from the globally dominant B.1 strain. Of the 46 cases in Indonesia, 44 cases were detected among international arrivals and the remaining two cases had no history of overseas travel.
ISTIMEWA/KEMENTERIAN KESEHATAN
Health Ministry’s vaccination spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmidzi.
According to the Health Ministry’s vaccination spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, the 27 additional Omicron cases detected this past weekend were found through WGS analysis conducted by the Health Research and Development Agency.
Detector machines
To boost its contact tracing efforts, the government has tightened the mandatory quarantine for international travelers. The government has also readied a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab testing technology to detect cases of the Omicron variant.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the tighter quarantine policy of 10-14 days was adopted because 98 percent of Indonesia’s Omicron cases were international travelers. In the meantime, the new PCR technology to detect Omicron had been implemented at the country’s points of entry.
“For tracing, we will import 15 new genome sequencing machines. They are expected to arrive in early 2022 and will be distributed to all islands so that genome sequencing tests can be performed faster and their network will be more extensive, not only in Java,” he told an online press conference on Monday (27/12).
To date, the Health Ministry has applied four strategies to handle the Covid-19 pandemic, including controlling the spread of the Omicron variant. The four strategies are enhanced health protocol compliance, contact tracing, vaccination and treatment.
“It’s very important to observe the health protocols by avoiding overseas trips unless there is an urgent need,” Budi added.
The government would intensify testing and tracing efforts to prevent the spread of Omicron.
Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan cautioned people to postpone traveling abroad unless it was urgent. The government would intensify testing and tracing efforts to prevent the spread of Omicron. In the event of community transmission, local lockdowns would be imposed.
TANGKAPAN LAYAR
Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
Professional development head Masdalina Pane at the Indonesian Epidemiology Association (PAEI) described the government’s pandemic control efforts as fairly effective, especially tracing Omicron transmission, as indicated by the absence of any local transmission of the variant.
Nevertheless, local transmission of Omicron might occur, particularly from international arrivals at the country’s points of entry. (AIK/MTK)
