Suara.com – The latest variant of the SARS-CoV-2 Corona virus that causes Covid-19 has been detected in a number of countries. Referred to as varian Eta, reports claim the virus is more contagious.
Reported by CNA, this type of variant was identified in someone who had recently traveled back from Dubai.
The Eta variant, also known as B.1.525, is considered to be more infectious and resistant to antibodies resulting from the Covid-19 vaccination.
On the other hand, the Health Research and Development Agency, the Indonesian Ministry of Health said that variant B.1.525 (variant Eta) had been detected in Indonesia, and was brought in by Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) who entered Indonesia on January 20, 2021, namely through the Health Office. Port (KKP) Tanjung Pinang Batam.
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This variant is included in the Variant of Concern (VOC) category, where the effect of the virus characteristics will still be studied further, ranging from transmission, disease severity, immune release, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
Is Variant Eta B.1.525 Dangerous?
Reporting from The News Minute, according to Dr. Ravi Gupta of the University of Cambridge, this variant is a mutation of E484K, a mutated virus found in southern Africa.
This mutation allows the virus to go undetected in the human immune defenses.
On the other hand, the Eta variant does not carry mutations like N501Y, where this variant is found in the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants.
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According to Professor Andrew Hayward, who is an epidemiologist at University College London, the Eta B.1.525 variant was said to have not spread faster than the other types.
Meanwhile, responding to the entry of the Eta variant into Indonesia, University of Indonesia epidemiologist Pandu Riono said that people need not be afraid.
“Yeah, it’s okay, just let it go. The virus likes to mutate. So don’t be afraid, and there are two possibilities. The virus doesn’t change or change. Turns vicious or not, later there will be many viruses that mutate,” he said when contacted by Suara.com, Thursday (12/8/2021).
With the presence of many variants, including the Eta variant, according to him, the journey of the Covid-19 pandemic will be even longer.
“This means that we will face a longer pandemic, because there will be many new variants. So let people be more vigilant,” he concluded.
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