INDONESIA has reported the first local transmission of the Omicron XBB variant in the country. 

The Health Ministry said the first confirmed case involved a 29-year-old woman who live in Surabaya, East Java, and had just returned from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. 

The ministry’s spokesperson Dr Mohammad Syahril said the woman tested positive on September  26 with symptoms including cough, fever and a runny nose.

The woman was cleared to exit coronavirus isolation on October 3, he said in a statement, adding that tests on 10 close contacts of women have all come back negative.

Dr Syahril said the ministry would enhance surveillance at entry points and urged the public to implement strict health protocols.

Data from Indonesia’s Covid-19 task force showed 2,087 cases recorded yesterday, while the total number of cases stood at 6.47 million cases. – Bernama, October 23, 2022.