COVID-19 In Pontianak Is Going Crazy, Mayor: The Cause Is The Delta Variant

Pontianak Mayor, Edi Rusdi Kamtono/ Antara

JAKARTA - The number of new positive cases of COVID-19 in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan has soared. The Mayor of Pontianak, Edi Rusdi Kamtono said, the Delta variant of COVID-19 was the cause of the spike in cases in his area.

"The spike in COVID-19 cases between June and July 2021, one of the reasons is the entry of the Delta variant in West Kalimantan as the results of the positive confirmation case samples sent by the Untan Laboratory to Balitbangkes in Jakarta", said Edi Rusdi Kamtono in Pontianak, reported by Antara, Sunday, August 15th.

He stressed to the entire community to remain aware of the spread of the highly contagious Delta virus by implementing stricter health protocols.

"We continue to make efforts to suppress the spread of COVID-19 in the city of Pontianak, including by implementing health protocols and passively vaccinations. In addition, tracing, testing, and treatment efforts are also being intensified", he said.

Regarding the development of COVID-19 in Pontianak City, Edi explained that the latest data on the bed occupancy rate (BOR) or the availability of beds in hospitals is currently below 45 percent and the positivity rate has also fallen below 10 percent.

"We hope that the public can refrain from gathering or gathering together for a while to prevent the spread of COVID-19", he said.

The Head of the Pontianak City Health Office, Sidiq Handanu, revealed that based on the samples sent by the West Kalimantan Provincial Government to the Jakarta Balitbangkes to find out the variant of COVID-19 in this province, it was known that in June and July 2021 there was a very high spike in COVID-19 cases.

"The high spike in cases clinically leads to the Delta variant, which is known to be fast in transmission and has high morbidity or morbidity", he said.

The data is out in August, while the events are in June and July. The condition now in Pontianak City is sloping and tends to decrease from day to day, he said.

According to Sidiq, based on clinical data, especially the speed of transmission and the symptoms caused, the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 has existed since June and July 2021 in Pontianak City. However, the results of the new laboratory research were reported in August 2021.

"The city of Pontianak has passed a fairly high spike in cases in June and July 2021", he said.

Although the transmission of the virus tends to decrease, he reminded the public not to ignore health protocols by continuing to apply 3M, 3T, and vaccination.

"This effort is an inseparable package of COVID-19 prevention and control", he said.

He emphasized the need for vigilance for the entire community because COVID-19 has not been fully controlled, and to say that the positivity rate must be under five percent control, while the current positivity rate in Pontianak City is still at nine percent.