Indian Ship Captain Anchors In Dumai Positive For COVID-19 New Variant B1617

PEKANBARU - Spokesperson for the Riau Province COVID-19 Handling Task Force, dr. Indra Yovi revealed that there was one case of a mutation variant for COVID-19, namely B1617 in Riau. This case was found from the captain of an Indian ship leaning at Dumai Port.

"The captain of the Indian ship yesterday was indeed affected by the mutated COVID-19, namely type B1617. The local Health Service has also tracked down including Dumai Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) employees who also got on the ship during the inspection," he said in Pekanbaru, as reported by Antara, Thursday, May 27th.

He explained that the results were also found in four crew members who were positive for COVID-19 and one KKP employee. The employee participated in the inspection on the MT ARK Progress Ship, which is a CPO (Crude Palm Oil) carrier, and docked at Dumai Port on April 27.

Indra Yovi explained that from the examination of the "genome sequencing" it was only proven that one person, namely the captain of the ship, was confirmed to have the mutation type of COVID B1617. Meanwhile, four crew members and KKP employees who were positive were not proven to have COVID-19 mutation.

"Only the captain of the ship is classified as affected by the mutation type of COVID-19, namely type B1617, and has recovered and has returned to sailing to India," he said.

He added that so far the mutation of COVID-19 type B1617 was only one case. That is also the case for imports originating from India.

"There are still several more samples that have been examined in the laboratory, but so far only one B1617 mutation has been confirmed in Riau," said Indra Yovi.