Maria Fatima Bona, Jakarta – Indonesia announced on Tuesday its first locally transmitted case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

According to Health Ministry spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi, the Omicron-infected patient is a 37-year-old male. The patient lives in Medan, North Sumatra, with his wife, but he recently visited Jakarta.

The patient arrived in Jakarta on December 6, and visited an unnamed restaurant in Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) in South Jakarta on December 17. He took an antigen test on December 19 as he planned on returning to Medan.

"He was declared positive for Covid-19," Siti told a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

On December 20, the patient took a swab PCR test. The Genomik Solidaritas Indonesia lab later confirmed the Omicron variant on December 26.

According to Siti, the patient does not have a history of traveling overseas in the past few months. He also did not have any physical contact with an international traveler.

"He is currently in the evacuation process to isolate at the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital," Siti Nadia said.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia has recorded 47 Omicron cases. Forty-six of them are imported cases.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-confirms-first-local-omicron-cas