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Indonesia announced its first case of the Omicron variant on Dec. 15, Reuters reported.
According to the country's health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the patient is working as a janitor at the Wisma Atlet Hospital in Jakarta, Antara reported.
"Last night (Dec. 15), the health ministry found that a patient, with the initial N, was confirmed to have contracted the Omicron variant," Budi said.
"We confirmed the data with GISAID. This is the Omicron sequencing," he added.
GISAID is a global science initiative that provides open access to genomic data of influenza viruses and the coronavirus responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Five suspected Omicron cases
Budi also shared that Indonesia has five suspected Omicron cases, Reuters reported.
Two of the suspected cases are Indonesians who had recently returned from the United States and the United Kingdom, and three are Chinese nationals currently serving their quarantine in Manadao, North Sulawesi.
Reuters reported that Indonesia's health ministry is waiting for genomic sequencing to determine if they are confirmed to have the Omicron variant.
Budi also claimed that there is no known community transmission of the Omicron variant in Indonesia.
First confirmed Omicron case had no travel history
According to the health minister, Indonesia's first confirmed case of the Omicron variant had no history of overseas travel.
He shared that three janitors working at Wisma Atlet Hospital, including N, were tested positive for Covid-19 on Dec. 8, Tempo reported.
They were asymptomatic and were physically healthy, Budi added.
However, of the three samples examined by Indonesia's health ministry laboratory, N's sample was reported to be of Omicron variant, Detik reported.
Detik added Budi saying that they sent samples on Dec. 10 for sequencing and the ministry received confirmation of the Omicron variant on Dec. 15.
Patient had recovered and returned to work
All three who were tested positive for Covid-19 had recovered and returned to work at Wisma Atlet Hospital, including N.
"Three of them were again subject to PCR tests, and the results were negative," Budi said, as quoted by Antara.
He appealed to the public not to be too concerned about the country's first case of the Omicron variant, and urged them to follow Covid-19 measures.
Budi also advised Indonesians not to travel abroad unless necessary.
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