ILLUSTRATION. Efforts to spread the corona virus in South Africa.
Reporter: Adrian Octauian | Editor: Tendi Mahadi
KONTAN.CO.ID – LONDON. The delta variant originally identified in India appears to have sparked new concern due to its rapid spread. To date, there have been 74 countries that have been reported to have been detected by this variant.
Quotes The Guardian, outbreaks of this delta variant have been confirmed in China, the US, Africa, and countries in the Pacific Rim. Scientists also report that this variant is more contagious and even causes more serious disease.
Several health authorities around the world are currently collecting and sharing data on the spread of this new variant. There is a fear that in developing countries, this variance is not clearly observed due to lack of robust monitoring systems.
Also Read: Beijing to NATO: Stop exaggerating various forms of China’s threat theory
The spread of this new variant has also prompted several countries to cancel the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in their territories. Meanwhile, research in China also shows that this variant is more resistant to vaccines. In particular, single-dose vaccines.
To respond to the spread of this variant, several countries have their own approach. Take, for example, China, which is pushing for new measures such as launching driverless shuttles to deliver food to communities whose territories are under strict lockdown. This is an attempt by the government to ensure people stay at home.
In Indonesia, it is estimated that there will be a new wave of corona virus infections that will peak in early July. This is because the delta variant has become dominant in some areas and hospital occupancy in Jakarta has reached 75%.
In addition, the potential impact of this delta variant is very worrying in poor countries.
Call it the Democratic Republic of the Congo, hospitals in its capital, Kinshasa, have been overwhelmed by the increase in Covid infections. The country’s president, Félix Tshisekedi, said the country was in the middle of a third wave driven in part by the Delta variant.
Also Read: NATO: As an alliance, we need to respond to China getting closer
“I will take drastic measures to deal with the increase in this disease. We are talking about the Indian variant in particular,” Tshisekedi said, without elaborating on what course of action he was planning.
The Zimbabwean government at the weekend also announced a two-week local lockdown for the districts of Hurungwe and Kariba after detecting the Delta variant. The government says more than 40 cases have been recorded in the past three days.