TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Delta variant of coronavirus, which is first identified in India, has already spread in Indonesia. A number of experts and studies explain that the variant or known as B.1.617.2 is quickly transmissible, and patients infected with the variant develop worse symptoms than those with other variants.

Head of the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Amin Soebandrio, explained that symptoms developed by patients with Delta in Indonesia are still similar to those of other variants. “There are no authentic reports of differences in symptoms in patients infected with the Delta,” said Amin via a phone call on Tuesday night, June 15.

However, the Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) confirmed that the Delta Covid-19 variant spreads faster. “Many tested positive for the variant, but they develop mild symptoms,” said Amin.

Based on the Health Ministry’s data as of June 13, there are 104 cases of the Delta Covid variant in five provinces, namely South Sumatra (3 cases in Palembang, Prabumulih, Penukal Abab Lematang Ilir), Jakarta (20 cases), Central Java (75 cases spread in Kudus, Brebes, Cilacap), Central Kalimantan (3 cases in Gunung Mas, Palangkaraya) and East Kalimantan (3 cases in Samarinda).

The FKUI Dean Ari Fahrial Syam said on Monday the Delta Covid variant is increasingly spreading in the archipelago. “In the last four weeks, there is a 51.4 percent hike in the variant cases in Indonesia,” Ari outlined the data from the GISAID Initiative.

Ari said that the Delta variant caused the patient's symptoms to be more severe and increased the risk of hearing loss, heartburn, nausea, and having complications. Covid-19 patients with the variant thus need to be hospitalized and oxygen supplementation.

Read: Covid-19 Delta Variant; Epidemiologist Warns of Possible Explosion in Cases

MOH KHORY ALFARIZI