Government In Aceh Is Running Normally Even Though Governor Is Positive For COVID-19

JAKARTA - The Aceh Government's COVID-19 spokesman, Saifullah Abdulgani, stated that the wheels of the Aceh Province administration would continue to run normally even though Governor Nova Iriansyah was self-isolating due to the coronavirus infection.

"Even though the governor's condition was exposed to COVID-19, it still has no effect on the running of the government in Aceh," said Saifullah Abdulgani in Banda Aceh, reported by Antara, Thursday, June 25 night.

He explained that the Governor of Aceh Nova Iriansyah was confirmed positive for COVID-19 based on the results of the PCR swab (swab) examination on May 31, 2021, so he had to undergo self-isolation.

However, according to the spokesman, who is familiarly called SAG, the governor continues to lead the wheels of government with the ranks of the Aceh Government Work Unit (SKPA).

"The governor continues to hold and chair a number of meetings with SKPA heads online and coordinate through telephone media," said SAG.

As is known, the Governor of Aceh Nova Iriansyah has still not recovered from the coronavirus infection even though he has been in self-isolation for almost three weeks.

"On June 21, 2021, the medical team again conducted a swab test (the Governor of Aceh) and the results were still positive for COVID-19," said Saifullah.

Nova Iriansyah was declared positive for the coronavirus based on the results of the PCR swab test on May 31 and immediately self-isolated according to the protocol for handling COVID-19.

Four days after being tested positive, Nova again underwent a PCR swab examination, but the results were still positive, so he had to continue self-isolation according to the recommendations of the medical team who handled his treatment.

Then, he underwent a swab test again on June 14, 2021, but the results in the Governor of Aceh still detected the genetic material of the coronavirus. Until finally, the latest swab results came out on June 21, 2021, which still showed positive for COVID-19, he said.

According to Saifullah, the continued positive condition for COVID-19 patients is not a new phenomenon, in fact, there are many other evidences both at home and abroad.

"Therefore, the RICU medical team and Pinere Hospital Zainoel Abidin Banda Aceh continue to recommend the Aceh Governor to continue self-isolation to accelerate health recovery," he said.

Meanwhile, dr T Zulfikar, Sp P (K) FISR, the team that handled the treatment of the Aceh Governor explained that when he was first tested positive, the governor's condition did not show any symptoms. However, two days later the governor began to have mild symptoms such as coughing, aches, and loss of smell.

"So the first criteria we consider as asymptomatic, then from the medical team we convey that this is with mild symptoms," said Zulfikar.

At that time the Governor of Aceh was advised to self-isolate and improve health so that the mild symptoms experienced by the Governor gradually disappeared.

"And now although it is still confirmed positive, Alhamdulillah, the mild cough symptoms are no longer there and the smell is also normal," he said.