IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – The number of Indonesian citizens abroad who were infected with coronavirus disease or COVID-19 continued to surge from December 2021. According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, since the emergence of the Omicron variant, positive cases among Indonesians have increased.
“The upward trend of COVID-19 cases at the global level is followed by an increase in cases among Indonesians abroad. There has been a rapid hike since December,” said the ministry’s director for citizen’s protection Judha Nugraha in an online press briefing, Thursday, Feb. 3.
Based on data submitted by the ministry, 242 Indonesians tested positive for the virus throughout November-December 2021. The hike was almost fivefold in December 2021-January 2022 at 1,082 cases. Meanwhile, in January-February, there were 974 new cases.
As of early February 2022, there were 8,349 Indonesian citizens exposed to COVID-19 abroad. Of which, 6,788 people recovered, 278 people died, and 1,333 others were still being treated.
The highest number of positive cases among Indonesians abroad was recorded in Singapore at 831, followed by Qatar at 809 cases, Brunei Darussalam at 648 cases, South Korea at 541 cases, and the UK at 422 cases.
Amid soaring cases of COVID-19, the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry sought assistance for positive citizens. Judha said the Indonesian representatives abroad had simplified procedures to gain access to health and supplies in the form of logistics and repatriation facilities.
Read: Former WHO Official Expresses Concerns over COVID-19 Spike
DANIEL AHMAD
