Alpha Variant Enters Medan, Aceh COVID Task Force Asks Residents To Reduce Mobility To Avoid Crowds

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

ACEH - The Aceh Government's COVID-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) asked the public to be more alert to the transmission of the Corona virus variant B.1.1.7 (Alpha) which has spread to the Sumatra Island region.

"Two confirmed cases of the Alpha variant virus in our neighboring province, North Sumatra," said Aceh COVID-19 Spokesperson, Saifullah Abdulgani in Banda Aceh, quoted from Antara, Friday, June 2.

Based on variant of concern (VoC) sequence data as of June 22, 2021, 49 cases of the Alpha variant have been found throughout Indonesia. In addition to the Alpha variant, the Ministry of Health also recorded 6 cases of variant B.1.351 (Beta) and 254 cases of variant B.1.617.2 (Delta) in the country.

With the determination of the three new variants of the SARCoV virus that causes COVID-19 as variants of concern or variants that must be watched out for, the Task Force asks the Acehnese people to increase their vigilance.

The three new variants are spread in 14 provinces of Indonesia, including North Sumatra and DKI Jakarta. DKI Jakarta has recorded 33 cases of the Alpha variant, four cases of the Beta variant and 96 cases of the Delta variant.

"The Alpha variant virus that is already in North Sumatra is most likely targeting the people of Aceh, whose frequency of commuting to Medan and surrounding areas is very high," he said.

The Delta variant has a transmission rate of 3-4 times faster than the Alpha variant. While the Alpha variant transmission is 6-7 times faster than the original variant which first appeared in Wuhan City. While the Beta variant triggers more severe disease.

He appealed to Acehnese to avoid the risk of transmission of the three new variants of COVID-19 by reducing mobility outside Aceh. Then for Acehnese who live outside Aceh to delay returning home even during Eid al-Adha.

Health protocols must be strictly and disciplined. Then for residents who have been targeted for COVID-19 vaccination, immediately carry out the first dose of vaccination and complete it with the second dose according to the specified schedule.

"Health protocols and COVID-19 vaccinations are still effective in preventing COVID-19 even though cases of infection with the new SARCoV-2 variant of the virus are increasingly being reported," he said.

Until now, he added, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Aceh has reached 19,333 people, of which 14,678 have recovered, 3,845 are being treated, and 810 have died.