Delta Variant Covid-19 Cases Double in a Week

As of June 20, 2021, 160 cases of the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of the coronavirus have been detected in Indonesia. This number is double that of the previous week, which stood at 78 cases.

The increase in this variant originating from India is faster than that of two other variants, namely Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Beta (B.1.351). In the last week, the Alpha variant from the UK only increased by 10 cases to a total of 45. Meanwhile, the Beta variant from South Africa only increased by one to a total of six cases.

The Delta variant has spread to nine provinces, with the majority located in Central Java (80 cases) and Jakarta (57 cases). The Alpha variant is present in 10 provinces, with the majority found in Jakarta (33 cases). The Beta variant is only present in Jakarta (4 cases), East Java (1 case), and Bali (1 case).

Although the increase in Delta variant cases is more significant, Alpha and Beta also have high transmission rates. This contributed to the surge in national coronavirus cases at the end of June 2021.

Therefore, the public is urged to diligently adhere to the 3M health protocols: wearing masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands with soap. In addition, the public is encouraged to avoid crowds and reduce mobility.