Minister Of Health Says The Delta Variant Already Has 'children And Grandchildren', But AY.4.2 Is Not Yet Available In Indonesia
JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the Delta variant of COVID-19 had mutated to its derivatives. He said this variant already has children and grandchildren.
"The Delta variant, the code is B.1617.2, it already has a child. The child uses (name) AY in front, there is AY.4 there is AY.2.3, and AY.2.4. In fact, the grandson has also come out, AY.4.2," said Budi in a virtual press conference, Monday, November 15.
Budi said the AY.4.2 mutation or what is known as Delta Plus is the grandson of the early Delta variant. This variant is a child of the AY.4 variant. However, he emphasized that AY.4.2 has not been found in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the most common Delta variants found in Indonesia are AY.2.3 and AY.2.4.
"In Indonesia itself, AY.4 already exists, AY 2.3 already exists, AY.2.4 already exists, AY4.2 doesn't exist yet. All Delta variants, whether their parents, children, or grandchildren, have similar genetic mutations," explained Budi.
However, Minister of Health Budi views that Indonesia has now formed sufficient immunity, based on the achievements of the COVID-19 vaccination.
"For example, if there is (Delta variant) entering their children or grandchildren, God willing, the immunity that has been formed in the community, we are still sufficient to be able to overcome this spread," said Budi.
Previously, a spokeswoman from the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi said that currently there were 22 derivatives or variations of the Delta type of COVID-19 variant.
So, if you add the Delta variant itself, there are already 23 types. Meanwhile, worldwide there are already around 75 derivatives of the Delta variant.
"We have found 22 derivatives of the Delta variant in Indonesia. In total, when combined with the B1617 (Delta variant), there are 23," said Nadia on Thursday, November 4.
Nadia said, the provinces that reported findings of the Delta variant of COVID-19 cases were mostly in densely populated areas, such as DKI Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java.
"The highest is in DKI Jakarta, where 1,300 Delta variants have been detected. In Central Java, there are around 300. In West Java, there are 700 Delta variants that have been reported," said Nadia.