"The Delta variant still exists in Indonesia. There are reports saying that the Delta variant is still circulating," Head of the Health Support Sub-sector for the task force Brigadier General (Ret.) Alexander K. Ginting informed at an online seminar on 'Strategies for Facing the Third Wave of the Pandemic' on Friday.
Data on the province-wise spread of the SARS-CoV-2 variant gathered by the task force shows that the Delta variant is still circulating in the community and its coverage is much wider than the Omicron variant, he said.
One of the provinces that is still reporting many cases of Delta variant is West Java, he added.
"Amid the emergence of the Omicron variant, some areas in Indonesia have reported that the Alfa, Beta, and Delta variants are still around," Ginting said.
Related news: Java-Bali daily cases down in comparison with Delta's peak
The important thing for anyone experiencing symptoms is to get tested for COVID-19, he added. The examination is only intended to determine positivity, he continued.
If someone is confirmed positive, either for the Delta or Omicron variant, they are still proven to have been exposed to COVID-19, he explained.
With a large number of people becoming more curious about whether they have contracted Omicron or not, the task force hopes that all stakeholders emphasize that any variant of COVID-19 can be tackled by implementing strict health protocols and strengthening the tracking of close contacts, Ginting said.
"One thing that we must understand is that all variants of COVID-19 are easily transmitted, replicated, and mutated," he highlighted.
Related news: Omicron positivity rate higher than Delta though BOR lower
Translator: Hreeloita Dharma S, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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