COVID-19 infections caused by the emergence of new Omicron sub-variants in Indonesia are expected to reach their peak in December 2022 or early January 2023, according to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

“We think, as this is starting to happen (the increase), maybe we will reach the peak in 1.5 months at the latest. I think in December 2022 or January 2023 we will see the peak,” he said during a working meeting with Commission IX of the House of Representatives, which was followed online from here on Tuesday.

The latest Omicron sub-variants that have triggered an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases around the world are BA.2.75, which has mostly affected India; XBB, which has emerged in Singapore; and BQ.1, which has mostly been detected in Europe and the United States, Sadikin informed.

“For example, the XBB sub-variant brought up (the COVID-19 case count) to 8,500 per day in Singapore. For comparison, in Indonesia now, there are around 5 thousand cases,” he said.

The XBB sub-variant outbreak observed in Singapore has been characterized by a rapid increase in cases, but it has also been marked by a rapid downward trend compared to other Omicron sub-variants, he added.

“Now Singapore has dropped its cases back below the 4 thousands and its peak is lower than BA.4 and BA.5,” he said.

Another characteristic of XBB is that its peak is estimated to be close to that of BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, but below that of the BA.1 or BA.2 sub-variants, he added.

BA.1 and BA.2 sub-variant cases were mostly reported in Indonesia in January and February 2022, while BA.4 and BA.5 were detected in July and August 2022.

“So indeed, the cycle occurs every six months. XBB is similar to BA.4 and BA.5, but below BA.1 and BA.2,” he said.

Source: Antara News