Indonesia has detected three cases of the new ‘delta plus’ COVID-19 variant on the islands of Sumatra and Sulawesi.
The delta plus variant B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 is a sublineage of the highly contagious delta variant. It has a renewed mutation in the virus’ spike protein and therefore, according to Tarmizi, is “just as infectious as the original delta variant.”
The Health Ministry’s director for prevention and control of direct communicable diseases, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, told Arab News on Saturday that the delta plus variant, or AY.1, was identified earlier this week as a result of local transmission in two patients in the Jambi province on Sumatra and Mamuju, a district of West Sulawesi province.
The findings add Indonesia to a list of 10 countries; Japan, Nepal, Poland, the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, China, Russia, and India, where the delta plus variant has been detected. It was first identified in India in April.
The delta plus variant B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 is a sublineage of the highly contagious delta variant. It has a renewed mutation in the virus’ spike protein and therefore, according to Tarmizi, is “just as infectious as the original delta variant.”
The Health Ministry’s director for prevention and control of direct communicable diseases, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, told Arab News on Saturday that the delta plus variant, or AY.1, was identified earlier this week as a result of local transmission in two patients in the Jambi province on Sumatra and Mamuju, a district of West Sulawesi province.
The findings add Indonesia to a list of 10 countries; Japan, Nepal, Poland, the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, China, Russia, and India, where the delta plus variant has been detected. It was first identified in India in April.
