The increase in COVID-19 cases occurred in several Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The Indonesian Ministry of Health responded to this and stated that until now the condition of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is still within safe limits.
Thailand has recorded more than 30,000 new COVID-19 cases in just the past few days. The variant responsible for the spike in cases is XEC, a sublineage or derivative of the Omicron variant. Although this variant does not cause severe symptoms, its high transmission rate still poses a great risk to vulnerable groups, it is even said that this variant spreads almost seven times faster than influenza.
Meanwhile, in Singapore, the majority of COVID-19 cases that occur are variants of LF.7 and NB. 1.8 which are derivatives of JN.1. The JN.1 variant is the virus variant used for the Covid-19 vaccine. The Singapore Health Authority also said that the increase in cases was not caused by new variants that were more virulent or more contagious. The Singapore Ministry of Health is again recommending additional vaccinations for vulnerable groups. They suggest that people over 60 years old (elderly), residents of nursing homes, medical personnel, and families living with at-risk groups to get a booster vaccination at least 1 year after the last injection. The general public is also encouraged to take precautions, such as wearing masks when sick or in crowded places, washing hands regularly, and limiting social interactions when unwell.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health responded to the increase in COVID-19 cases in several Asian countries. The Head of the Communication and Public Information Bureau of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Aji Muhawarman, explained that based on monitoring until the 19th week of 2025, the condition of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is still within safe limits. Until now, there has been no ban on overseas travel, but the public is urged to be more vigilant, especially if they plan to travel to countries that are experiencing a spike in cases. The Ministry of Health also continues to remind the importance of implementing basic health protocols such as washing hands, using a mask when coughing and cold, and immediately checking yourself to a health facility if you experience symptoms that lead to respiratory tract infections or flu. In addition, COVID-19 booster vaccination is still recommended, especially for those who have not received it or belong to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and comorbid patients.
In the US, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) also informed that it will prioritize the approval of COVID-19 booster vaccines that are proven to produce antibody titers in people over 65 years old or who are at high risk of developing more severe diseases such as people with cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, HIV, obesity, and active or former smokers. Although the risk of severe disease and hospitalization has now decreased, repeat dosing is needed to further reduce the risk of more severe COVID-19 disease.
Image: Illustration (Source: freepik)
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