South Tangerang Confirms Coronavirus B.1.617 Strain Cases

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the South Tangerang healthcare agency Alin Hendalin Mahdaniar confirmed on Thursday, May 6, 2021, that there are two of the region's residents who had contracted the new Covid-19 strain from India, which is known as the coronavirus B.1.617 strain. 

According to Mahdaniar, the two North Serpong residents initially contracted the virus from their children who reside in Jakarta. Both of the people were in close contact with their children and showed symptoms, which later followed by an immediate PCR swab test.

"It isn't known how [the person originally contracted it from] the main thing is that the child's genome sequence sample was tested and revealed the virus from India," said Mahdianar on Thursday, May 6, 2021. 

However, this was in early April since the person who suffered from the virus had a comorbid and was eventually treated in the hospital from April 5 to April 17, 2021. The current PCR tests on the two subjects are negative and have been released from the hospital.

The South Tangerang health agency has coordinated with the central government and local community health centers upon extracting samples from the entire family and housekeeper to determine whether the coronavirus B.1.617 strain has spread. 

MUHAMMAD KURNIANTO (CONTRIBUTOR)