Guide To Understanding The British Variant Mutation Of Corona B117 Virus Currently Entering Indonesia

JAKARTA - The government has confirmed the entry of the B117 coronavirus into Indonesia. The announcement was made on March 2, exactly one year since the first COVID-19 case was announced. There are several facts that we already know about the coronavirus, which is known as the British variant. Anything? Here we summarize.

"Exactly one year today we found a B117 mutation, UK mutation in Indonesia. This is fresh from the oven. Just last night two cases were found," said Deputy Health Minister Dante that day.

The B117 coronavirus entered through two female Indonesian workers with the initials M and A. Both are residents of Karawang, West Java. They just returned from Saudi Arabia using a Qatar Airways plane.

The arrival of the two migrant workers to Indonesia used different planes even though they both landed at Soekarno Hatta Airport. M landed on January 28, 2021, while A landed on January 31, 2021.

Photo illustration (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

A swab test procedure was then performed on both of them. The results are positive. Whole genome sequencing tests showed both of them were exposed to a new variant of coronavirus from England. The authorities then determined isolation for the two of them in Jakarta.

The latest news on Friday, March 5, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil stated that M and A had been negative. Even so, both of them are still undergoing independent isolation. Regarding the tracing process of these two cases, Ridwan Kamil has not been able to confirm.

"We (West Java Provincial Government) are still not sure (not to infect). So we are doing additional isolation," said Ridwan Kamil that day.

Returning to Dante, he said the government had coordinated with the researchers. Strategic steps will be taken based on a scientific basis, including based on the development of an understanding of this virus.

Symptoms of COVID-19 B117

Reporting from various sources, there are a number of the most common symptoms experienced by COVID-19 B117 patients. The first symptoms are fatigue and feeling sluggish. A number of patients in the UK admit that this symptom is usually accompanied by dizziness.

This symptom is triggered by a reaction by the immune system to fight a coronavirus infection. This causes the body to experience fatigue constantly. Apart from dizziness, the next symptom is nausea. In some cases, the patient experiences these two things at once.

The next symptom, muscle pain. This symptom occurs because the virus attacks the muscle fibers. Inflammation due to infection also triggers. Apart from these symptoms, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) also includes other symptoms on the list.

Symptoms include diarrhea, sore throat, rash on the skin, discoloration of the fingers and hands, and conjunctivitis or red eyes.

More contagious

The Ministry of Health announced the results of a study showing the mutation of the coronavirus variant B117 has higher infectivity. "People who are infected with this variant can certainly transmit the word in large numbers," said Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health Oscar Primadi in a Talking Health program which was broadcasted online, Friday, March 5.

As reported by the New York Times, researchers found eight mutations of the B117 coronavirus changed the S protein (spike protein) in the coronavirus. Protein S is part of the virus that attaches and transmits disease to cells in the human body.

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The form of mutation that causes the virus to become more contagious is known as code N501Y. The N501Y mutation occurs when the virus converts an amino acid that approaches the peak of each S protein.

Changes in protein S make it easier for the virus to infect humans. Apart from the UK, the N501Y mutation is also thought to occur in Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United States (US).

Chairperson of the COVID-19 Task Force from the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Zubairi Djoerban also said that the B117 coronavirus also triggered the production of more viruses in the patient's respiratory tract. This makes the virus more contagious. Even so, COVID B117 does not mean that it is more dangerous for patients.

The B117 virus cannot be prevented by vaccines

Ministry of Health spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi said the government could not guarantee whether the new variant of the B117 coronavirus had an effect on the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine from the Chinese company, Sinovac.

The reason is, we still have to wait for the results of research from the Sinovac vaccine clinical trial team at Padjadjaran University and the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

"In particular, we don't have any research to see its effectiveness, but BPOM will certainly monitor this," said Nadia, Thursday, March 4.

However, if you look at global developments, Nadia said that so far there has been no research showing that the new variant of corona from England has an effect on vaccine performance.

Photo illustration (Source: Bureau of Presidential Secretariat)

The World Health Organization (WHO), said Nadia, also has not released official findings regarding a vaccine brand that cannot deal with the new strain of the coronavirus. Therefore, he asked the public to keep waiting.

The Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin also said the same thing. On Tuesday, March 2, Budi said that until now there was no leading journal in the world that contained the results of research by experts on the effect of the B117 corona variant on the efficacy of the vaccine.

However, the Head of the Clinical Trial Research Team for COVID-19 Sinovac from Padjadjaran University, Kusnandi Rusmil, said that if this variant is too far from the original nature of the virus, then there is a possibility that the vaccine will no longer be effective against the coronavirus. The Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Pajajaran University, explained that the mutation of the British virus was no more virulent, but the speed of transmission was admittedly high.

However, in a study, the Sinovac vaccine was said to be still effective in fighting new variants of Corona, both strains of the virus from the UK and South Africa.

"We have tested this vaccine in China against the new British and South African coronavirus variants, with good results," said Dimas Covas, head of the Butantan biomedical center in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Even so, Covas did not provide further details regarding the level of efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine against the new Corona B117 variant.