Two Of Indonesia's 446 COVID-19 Specimens Are Positive

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health explained that 446 specimens of people were under surveillance, following COVID-19 being examined in the laboratory. As a result, only two specimens tested positive. The two specimens are related to two cases found in Depok, West Java.

"In total we have examined 446 specimens. Two are positive, while the ten we are investigating again," said spokesman for the handling of COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto in a press conference at the Ministry of Health Office, Jalan Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, Wednesday, March 4.

A total of 446 specimens, said Yuri, were taken from several places where the suspected spread of COVID-19 and crew members of the cruise ships, namely Diamond Princes and Dream World, were taken. This specimen testing, in addition to knowing the status of the person under surveillance is also to track who they are in direct contact with.

"Indeed, for us, a positive or non-positive examination is more interpreted as tracking contact. This means that if he is negative, we are not too worried that he has contacts in his sub-cluster. But if he is positive, this is what we will pursue again in the sub-cluster because lest he has been transmitted again to other people, "said the Secretary of the Directorate General of PDP Kemenkes.

In the press conference, Yuri also explained that the Ministry of Health had clustered a number of cases in Indonesia. He explained, first, there was a Bali cluster, which allegedly occurred after a Japanese citizen stopped by in the area on February 15 to February 19. The result, from 11 specimens, all tested negative even though there was close contact.

Then, the second cluster is the Amigos cluster which is the dance location where the COVID-19 virus spreads for the first time. "We have handled six people, meaning the count of six includes cases number 1 and 2 (mother and child), we have collected four. Now we isolate the four or four at RSPI Sulianto Saroso and we will repeat the examination again two more times," he explained.

Regarding this Amigos cluster, Yuri said that currently there are 10 people who are willing to carry out the COVID-19 test because it is suspected that they have had direct contact with those who are suspected of being infected. Although there are no complaints, this test is planned to be carried out in the near future.

"We asked them not to complain of any pain, which is clearly complaining of worry, fear," he said, stating that the tracking process in this cluster would continue because he believed that there were still many who had direct contact.

Previously reported, 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.

These two people have a family relationship as mother and child. After being tested positive for COVID-19, both of them are now being treated at RSPI Sulianti Saroso, Jakarta to be isolated according to existing regulations.