Restrictions Prevent Transmission of Super Variant
According to data from the Health Ministry, the number of new confirmed cases in the past week increased by 38.31 percent compared to the previous week.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·5 minutes read
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — New and more contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants are spreading in a number of areas. Rapid response, through enforcing tighter social restrictions, could prevent a major spike that ravages health care.
Such a situation has become the focus of the recent limited Cabinet meeting chaired by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday (14/6/2021). Following the meeting, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said all measures and the enforcement of tighter health protocols, including accelerating vaccination, were urgently needed considering the presence of the Delta variant, which was first discovered in India, in samples of Covid-19 patients in Kudus (Central Java), Jakarta and Bangkalan (Madura, East Java)/ “The implementation of health protocols must be stricter. [We have to] also accelerate vaccinations,” Budi said.
On Monday, there were 8,189 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 237 deaths and 1,809 news active cases. The total active case, which are patients either receiving treatment or in isolation, reached 115,197. The death toll was the highest recorded in the past month, bringing Monday’s death toll to 53,116.
According to data from the Health Ministry, the number of new confirmed cases in the past week increased by 38.31 percent compared to the previous week. Active cases and deaths increased by respectively 6.62 percent and 4.88 percent.
Treatment in isolation rooms increased by 27.43 percent this week, while patients requiring intensive case increased by 18.09 percent. In Surakarta, Central Java, the availability of intensive care rooms is running low. As of Monday afternoon, 91.58 percent of the total of 127 intensive care units was occupied. In Indramayu, West Java, isolation rooms are almost at full capacity. More than 20 health workers have been exposed to Covid-19. Seven doctors have tested positive for COVID-19.
In Bogor, West Java, bed occupancy of Covid-19 referral hospital and isolation centers previously stood below 20 percent. “Now the average is above 60 percent,” said Bogor mayor Bima Arya.
In Surabaya, East Java, the bed occupancy rate for all hospitals is 49 percent.
Now the average is above 60 percent.
At the nationwide level, the occupancy of isolation rooms and intensive care rooms are 53 percent and 48 percent, respectively. “It is no longer easy to find a place for treatment for Covid-19 patients,” said Indonesian Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI) chairman Ede Surya Darmawan.
Indonesian epidemiologist at Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, said the increase in Covid-19 cases in Indonesia was only at the initial phase. The case increase is likely to be dominated by the Alpha variant, which circulated earlier than the Delta variant. “The impact of the Delta variant will be felt next month,” he said.
Super variant
The Delta variant is a super variant with three dangerous criteria, which includes rapid transmission, causing more severe disease lack of antibody formation. The Delta variant is 50 to 70 percent more contagious than the Alpha variant, which was first identified in the UK.
Compared to the Alpha variant, the Delta variant increased patient’s severity 2.5 times higher in the UK. “This variant gets around the immune system. People who have been vaccinated can get infected. Those who have been infected can get it again,” Dicky said.
Learning from India, the new variant has overwhelmed health services, which resulted in the large number of victims. “Public vigilance has not been improved despite the discovery of the Delta variant,” he said.
Based on the Health Ministry’s recapitulation as of Sunday (13/6), 36 samples containing the Alpha variant were found, mostly in Jakarta with 24 samples. Meanwhile, there were 5 samples containing the Beta variant found, mostly in Jakarta with 4 samples. There were 104 samples containing the Delta variant found, mostly in regions in Central Java, namely Brebes, Cilacap ad Kudus with 75 samples.
At least three patients in East Java were detected as being exposed to the Delta variant. “Two are Bangkalan resident, while the remaining one patient resides in Bojonegoro,” said First Admiral IDG Nalendra Djaya Iswara, the person in charge in the Lapangan Hospital in Surabaya.
According to IAKMI chairman Ede, mobility restrictions should be implemented. Delays in preventing transmission can trigger a major catastrophe. “It’s time [to enforce] stricter restrictions. [We] cannot assume this variant is the same as the previous variant,” he said.
Economic recovery
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said during a meeting with House of Representatives Commission XI and the Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) that economic recovery and growth in the second quarter of 2021 and the following period were mainly determined by the success of the country’s Covid-19 handling.
“Economic recovery in the country is highly dependent on Covid-19 handling. If the number of cases increases, the government will be forced to tighten activities that hold back the economy,” said Sri, who is also the chair of the KSSK.
Economic recovery in the country is highly dependent on Covid-19 handling.
Sri said that all parties must be aware of the increase of Covid-19 cases after last month’s Idul Fitri. Since then there has been a Covid-19 case surge, which has increased the occupancy of hospital rooms to up to 80 percent.
Sri said that there was a Covid-19 case spike at the beginning of the year that caused the government to enforce tighter social restrictions. After the number of cases decreased, the government eased the restrictions. As a result, economic performances in April and May 2021 improved.