The B1617 Virus Has Entered Indonesia, The Government Must Tracing Indian Workers

Illustration (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the mutation of the COVID-19 variant B1617 which is currently spreading in India has been found in Indonesia.

He said 10 people in Indonesia were identified as having the Coronavirus variant B1617. Six of them were imported cases that had recently come from overseas trips.

Responding to this, Commission IX of House of Representatives member Kurniasih Mufidayati asked the government to immediately carry out massive tracing following the news of the entry of the new variant of the COVID-19 virus into the country.

"Do random tests on offices or companies that employ a lot of Indians, especially those who have just arrived in the last 14 days", said Mufida, Tuesday, April 27.

To prevent the increase in cases, the legislator from the Partai Keadilan Sejahtera Faction reminded the Indonesian government to tighten the arrival of foreign nationals with Indian passports.

"Close the arrival of Indian citizens and countries that have a lot of contact with India, as well as countries that have experienced an increase in cases from both direct flights and transit", said Mufida.

Tightening, she said, should also be applied to foreigners who have high cases of increase in their home countries.

"Quarantine in a special place for five days with 2 PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction test) to confirm it is negative plus nine days at the place of residence or not working first", said Mufida.