5 Facts about the Covid-19 Spike in Singapore, Indonesian Citizens Must Be Alert

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Singapore recorded an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases at the beginning of this month. At least 25,900 cases were recorded during 5-11 May 2024 and 250 people per day were hospitalized.

Reportedly the case comes from a variant called FliRT. This variant occurs in the United States (US) and is reported to be able to cause the number of cases to increase during the summer.

Here are 5 facts related to the latest Covid-19 case, summarized by CNBC Indonesia from various sources, Friday (24/5/2024):

1. Variant

The FLiRT variant group consists of the KP.1 and KP.2 variants, and the strain comes from the JN.1 lineage which is a branch of the Omicron variant.

JN.1 was also the cause of the Covid-19 wave that occurred in Singapore in December 2023. Meanwhile, KP.2 was detected in India in early January and dominated cases in the United States (US) by 28% in mid-May.

KP.2 spreads faster than KP.1. This variant has also been included in the Variants Under Monitoring by the World Health Organization (WHO).

2. Symptoms

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has released a number of symptoms of the FLiRT variant. Here's the list:

Fever or chills

Cough

Sore throat

Blocked or runny nose

Headache

Hard to breathe

Fatigue

Loss of sense of taste and smell, the body feels less conscious, and gastrointestinal symptoms (stomach pain, mild diarrhea, and vomiting)

3. Risk

Regarding the immunity of patients with the FLiRT variant, it will depend on previous infection with the variant. John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health explains that those affected by JN.1 will be protected from all FLiRT variants.

Meanwhile, those who have been infected with the variant longer than JN.1 have less immunity.

4. Prevention

To avoid being infected with the Covid-19 virus, use a mask, especially for those outside. Avoid activities with lots of people or crowds and ensure the room is well ventilated.

5. Vaccine Effectiveness

According to a report, a vaccine based on the XBB.1 variant will produce a number of cross-reactive antibodies to JN.1. However, there has been no research on some of these variants, there are also predictions that the new variants will not cause cross-reactivity.

Johns Hopkins also said it could not confirm whether it would recommend giving a third dose of vaccine or not. Additional vaccines may not be needed if cases are still low.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(npb/mij)