Bad News Appears In Batam, Health Office Suspects That A New COVID-19 Variant Has Started Circulating There

Head of Batam City Health Office Didi Kusmarjadi. (Photo: Naim/Antara)

JAKARTA - Batam City Health Office, Riau Islands, suspects that a new variant of COVID-19 is already circulating in the local area as the number of residents who are positively exposed to the Corona Virus increases.

"It is possible that the new variants come from the external," said the Head of Batam City Health Office, Didi Kusmarjadi di Batam, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, May 4.

He said, as informed, the new variant of COVID-19 is more easily transmitted, with a mortality rate that is not worse than the previous one.

In addition, he also suspects, the increase in COVID-19 cases in Batam tends to continue.

"There is a temporary suspicion that health protocols are loosening," he said.

People may only apply 3M, wear masks, wash their hands routinely and keep their distance.

In fact, according to him, what must be followed is 5M. "The last two are limiting mobility and avoiding crowds. The last two are neglected," he said.

Meanwhile, the Batam City COVID-19 Handling Task Force on Sunday, May 2 noted that now all sub-districts on the main island have a red zone.

Apart from the main island, COVID-19 has also spread to all buffer island sub-districts in Batam, up to now three sub-districts in the yellow zone.

In total, the Batam COVID-19 Handling Task Force recorded a total of 7,323 positive people, as many as 6,454 of them recovered, 161 people died, and 708 people were still being treated.