JAKARTA - Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto left the isolation room of the Sulianti Suroso Central Infection Hospital (RSPI). He finished visiting and checking the condition of two Indonesian citizens who had just tested positive for the corona virus or COVID-19.
The media crew was waiting for Terawan on the terrace of the hospital to dig up information about the patient's condition. Almost all journalists present wore health masks. Some were brought before visiting the hospital, others asked for masks from the hospital staff in front of the room.
Meanwhile, neither Terawan and his entourage wore masks. They just met a corona patient at this hospital.
For about five minutes Terawan gave an explanation, his eyes wandering. He was surprised that many media crews were wearing masks.
"Sek, just a moment. I'm confused, who is it that hurts? How come everyone is excited about wearing masks. I ask, are you sick or mine?" said Terawan at RSPI Sulianti Suroso, North Jakarta, Monday, March 2.
Terawan realized that the reason people who approached the location of the corona positive patient were wearing masks because there was a high level of concern if they could be infected at any time.
But, he emphasized, people who are in good health do not need to wear masks. This, he said, was in accordance with health procedures from the World Health Organization (WHO). Only sick people should wear a mask.
"You (a healthy person), if you don't need to cover it, you will think that you are sick. Only the sick ones use a mask so they don't spread. The healthy ones protect immunity," said Terawan.
Regarding the concern of people catching the COVID-19 virus, said Terawan, there is no need to overreact. Because, he said, not everyone who had close contact with a positive patient or suspect corona could immediately be infected.
"Not everyone who comes into contact will become sick, depending on the condition of their bodies," he said.
The need for masks in Indonesia increased after information on the corona virus emerged in Wuhan, China, some time ago. Masks have become scarce and prices have shot up. In fact, some time ago, Polda Metro Jaya carried out raids on illegal mask factories and warehouses. The perpetrators deliberately made masks that were not in accordance with Indonesian national standards because they knew of the increasing need.
Today, two Indonesian citizens were declared infected with the COVID-19 virus after making contact with a Japanese national. This finding is the first case in Indonesian territory, where the government has so far admitted that there has been no spread of the virus.
The announcement of the existence of residents infected with the virus originating from the City of Wuhan, China was delivered directly by President Joko Widodo.
"Last week there was information that a Japanese person who went to Indonesia then stayed in Malaysia and checked there was positive for the corona. The team from Indonesia immediately traced this Japanese person to Indonesia to whom he visited, met whom he traced and met," he said. Jokowi at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Monday, March 2.
After it was found, from the search results there were two people who then tested positive for the COVID-19 virus due to contact with the Japanese citizen. The relationship between the two is mother and child aged 64 years and 31 years.
"It was checked and this morning I received a report from the Minister of Health that this mother and her daughter were positive for corona," said Jokowi.
The two corona positive patients are in pretty good condition, even though they still have coughs. They are in an isolation room, which is a separate building from the main building of RSPI Sulianti Suroso.
The treatment carried out for the two patients was carried out like treating someone with the flu. The cure is in the form of self limited disease, which is an increase in body immunity.
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