TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of new Covid-19 variants cases, including the Delta variant, in Jakarta keeps rising. As of June 28, the city administration recorded 128 samples containing variant of concern (VOCs).

“Of the 128 VOCs, 12 are Alpha variant (B.117), 3 are Beta variant (B.1.351), and 113 are Delta variant (B.1617.2),” said the city’s Health Agency Head of Disease Prevention and Control in a written statement, Monday, June 28.

The figure increased from the previous findings. As of June 23, the city discovered 70 VOC cases after conducting Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) tests on 987 samples.

At that time, the number of patients infected with the Alpha and Beta variants was the same as the latest data. The increase occurred in the number of Delta variant cases, which previously at 55.

Dwi explained that out of 128 VOCs, 35 patients had a travel history abroad or classified as imported cases, 46 cases were Delta variant from the local transmission, 22 cases were Delta variant from transmission in Jakarta’s neighboring regions or Bodetabek, and the rest 25 cases are still being verified whether or not they are Delta variant from abroad or local transmission.

“Stay alert because this new variant is more infectious and causes more severe symptoms,” Dwi underlined.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan suspected that the surge in Covid-19 cases this month was attributable to new variants as it occurred in the three weeks of June 2021, while in fact, the people’s mobility and behavior were relatively the same.

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LANI DIANA WIJAYA