Learn To Understand Why There Are No Corona Cases In Indonesia

Illustrated photo (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Currently, the corona virus or 2019-nCoV has spread in 24 countries on various continents. Indonesia is still in the status of zero corona or nothing has been confirmed positive. This situation actually makes Indonesia doubt its capability in detecting the corona virus.

The virus, previously known as '2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease', now has the official name "COVID-19".

Member of PB IDI, Dr. Erni Juwita Nelwan, Sp.PD-KPTI, FACP, FINASIM, Ph.D, who is an expert on tropical diseases and infections, explained the condition why until now Indonesia still has zero corona status.

Erni explained, the factor is not because this virus cannot develop or live in Indonesia. It's just that, the corona virus is not actually a new virus. In the past, before 2019-nCoV, another corona virus had been detected. Even with viruses similar to corona, such as SARS CoV, MERS CoV. Including the human coronavirus that attacks humans.

"If it is said that there are certain areas where the virus cannot develop, actually not. It does not depend on the region. But it depends on the first one. If you want this virus to exist in Indonesia, someone will bring it," he said when contacted by VOI at Jakarta, Tuesday, February 11.

When referring to the Ministry of Health's Research and Development data, said Erni, he was grateful that out of 62 suspected of carrying the corona virus, after checking the results were negative. This means that no one brought the virus into Indonesia.

"So it's not that he can't enter. Indeed, this has not been brought to date from what has been detected. We are talking in general, yes. That is why a virus is not found in one country. It is not that the virus cannot be found there. Because, after all, with Singapore and Malaysia that we are next to, there is a virus in them. Geographically, we can say that we are very similar, "he said.

Climatic factors

In addition, Erni explained, weather or climate factors in Indonesia also helped prevent this virus from developing or adapting in Indonesian regions. According to Erni, some viruses do exist that can die by themselves when faced with hot weather. This easy-to-die virus does not have the ability to transmit.

"So, there is a virus that is very easy to die, not easily contagious because it cannot stand the hot weather. So it is true that (the weather) also affects it. Indeed, it is a fact, not a myth. Now, let's look at this nCoV again. If we look at the novel. "He said that the coronavirus is indeed thermal sensitive," he said.

This novel corona virus or 2019-nCov, said Erni, is a respiratory virus that enters a person through physical contact, such as inhalation. This virus, once inhaled, will attack the upper respiratory tract, causing infection in that area. If someone who experiences this is unable to cope with it, then this virus can go down to the lungs which eventually causes tightness, then becomes a pneumonia.

"If we look at the corona virus as a whole, it is very sensitive to heat. So it comes back again if then in Indonesia the virus cannot live? I don't say so. But now at this point we can say that the virus has not been transmitted from those who are in Indonesia. -Screening, "he said.

Self protection

According to Erni, there are actually many factors that cause this virus to die before it can spread. One way to prevent this, by washing hands using disinfection and maintaining hand hygiene.

"It's easy to weaken or be rendered powerless with a solvent or a solution that is changed at a temperature of 160 degrees Celsius, what does this have to do with? It has to do with disinfection efforts if we want to clean our hands. So he dies, if in the environment when the temperature is high 26-27 degrees Celsius. it also does not last even though it is not in a solution that contains fat or is oily, "he explained.

Erni said floor cleaning fluid can also kill this virus. However, he warned, if you want to use it on your body or body, of course it must be safe for humans. So many things make this virus inactive.

"Stay vigilant, but not panic leads to a negative direction so it's like a mask until it runs out and all kinds of things, it's not like that. Vigilance is with a healthy daily life, adding frequent hand washing, if you are sick you know to limit yourself, wear a mask," he said. .

Photo illustration (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

Wearing masks all day long can also make users uncomfortable, especially in tropical climates like Indonesia. Erni said, actually using masks was also ineffective in preventing the corona virus. This is because this virus does not exist in Indonesian air.

"Actually, using masks in Indonesia on a regular basis every day is of little benefit, if we talk about it directly with nCoV. Because it's not in our air. Wear a mask to protect ourselves from people who are sick, especially in the crowd, we don't know what kinds of things. kinds of diseases, we use them so we protect ourselves against those near us, "he said.

Even though no one has yet contracted this corona virus, Erni said the Indonesian people still have to be vigilant. Because, we don't have a gate that is locked from the inside. This means that tourists from various other countries can still come to Indonesia.

"The vigilance that has been raised since the beginning must be maintained until this problem can be resolved at its center in China, especially until there are no new cases in other countries. So as long as there is still vigilance we must remain equally aware. , "he explained.

Likewise, researcher of the Indonesian Institute of Research Sciences (LIPI), Sugiyono Saputra said, in theory, the corona virus will last a long time in low temperatures and high humidity. But actually the characteristics of this new coronavirus still need to be researched again.

"Without a host or host cell, the virus cannot develop. It may survive, but it depends on environmental conditions," he explained.

Sugiyono gave an example, there was a positive case of 2019-nCoV in Singapore where the patient had no travel history to China and had no history of interacting with people there. Then the question is, how could it be infected. He explained that the suspicion is that there is a virus that can survive after leaving the patient's body.

"Through sneezing, coughing in the form of droplets, for example. Then the droplets hit a healthy person and infect," he said.

According to Sugiyono, things can be done by the community to avoid or prevent infection with this virus by maintaining personal hygiene. Especially, washing your hands.

"Yes, hand washing is important, or hand sanitizers, and cough etiquette must be applied. Because we don't know that viruses may be in public facilities that we often touch. But don't be too paranoid as well as vigilance, especially in places where human mobility is high. , such as airports, where there is a travel history from the place of origin of the outbreak, "he explained.

Meanwhile, regarding the condition of Indonesia which is still in zero corona status, said Sugiyono, there are actually many factors that cause it. It could be because there is no virus or it is not detected because it was not done in the test. "Viruses can be carried but do not or have not caused symptoms. So that they are not tested," he said.