REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- Cases of Covid-19 in Indonesia began to increase in recent days. Even so, in Yogyakarta City it is said that no positive confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported.

This was stated by the Health Department (Dinkes) of Yogyakarta City, which said that there have been no reports of Covid-19 cases from health care facilities (fasyankes), either from health centers or from hospitals.

“There are no specific reports yet,” said Dinkes Yogyakarta's Head of Health Services, Waryono, at the Yogyakarta City Hall complex on Thursday (14/12/2023).

Nevertheless, Waryono said that all fasyankes in Yogyakarta City can already handle if Covid-19 cases are found. Includes conducting an examination with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to diagnose Covid-19.

"To date there have been no (positive case reports). The facility for Yogyakarta City itself for inspection is ready, it can already perform PCR tests," Waryono said.

The Ministry of Health (Ministry of Health) revealed that Indonesia is experiencing an increase in Covid-19 cases dominated by subvariant EG.5. For this reason, the Ministry stated that there is a need for infection prevention efforts carried out simultaneously by all elements of society.

"The EG.5 subvariant is a derivative of the Omicron variant and belongs to the category of variant of interest (VOI) or variants that have genetic mutations that are predicted to affect the clinical characteristics of the virus," explained Head of the Ministry of Communications and Public Services, Siti Nadia Tarmizhi, Thursday (14/12/2023).

Furthermore, Nadia says, the EG.5 subvariant has characteristics that can lead to increased cases and evade the immune system. That may make the EG.5 subvariant easier to infect even with no change in severity.

"However, the mobilization of the community during the holidays of Christmas 2023 and New Year 2024 can have the potential for a surge in Covid-19 cases," he said.

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