Widodo urges stay home after omicron confirmed in Indonesia

By EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called on people and government officials to refrain from traveling abroad after the country detected its first case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in a hospital cleaning worker. The patient has no symptoms and is being quarantined at the Athlete’s Village emergency hospital, where the person worked. The government created the facility in March 2020 to treat COVID-19 patients and as a quarantine venue for Indonesians returning from abroad. Indonesia’s health minister said the infection was confirmed on Wednesday, and he urged people to continue following recommended protocols, including wearing masks and maintaining physical distance. He also called for increased testing and to accelerate the country’s vaccination program.