2 PMI Arrivals At Juanda Airport Positive For COVID-19 Based On Screening Results

Indonesian Migrant Workers arrive at Juanda Airport (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Two Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) were confirmed positive for COVID-19 based on the results of screening or examination using the PCR swab test method, upon arrival at Juanda International Airport Surabaya in Sidoarjo, East Java.

The Commander of the Regional Military Command V/Brawijaya Major, General Nurchahyanto, informed that on Saturday, January 23, Juanda received the arrival of 129 Indonesian migrant workers, departing from Malaysia using Malaysia Airlines.

"I and the Regional Police Chief have directly monitored the COVID-19 screening process, starting from the airport to the quarantine area at the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya", he said, quoted by Antara on Sunday.

Pangdam Nurchahyanto announced that based on the results of screening using the PCR swab test, two of them were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

"Two people who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 yesterday were immediately evacuated to Dr. Soetomo Regional General Hospital, Surabaya", he said.

According to Major General Nurchahyanto, the team of doctors at the dr Soetomo Regional General Hospital (RSUD) is still investigating the type of COVID-19 that infected the two migrant workers.

"Yesterday it was still declared as ordinary COVID-19. However, the team of doctors is still investigating to find out if it is a new variant of Omicron", he said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of other PMIs who have tested negative for COVID-19 are currently required to undergo a seven-day quarantine at the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya.

"Yesterday, we provided a bus from Juanda Airport to go to the quarantine area at the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya", he said.

The Military Commander said that on the sixth day, at the Sukolilo Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya, a PCR swab test would be carried out on each of the migrant workers.

"For those whose PCR test results are negative, on the seventh day they are immediately allowed to return to their respective areas. Meanwhile, those whose PCR results are positive will be referred for further examination at dr Soetomo Hospital Surabaya", he said.

For the first time, international arrivals at Juanda Airport are operating again. Previously, to suppress the transmission of COVID-19, for about the last four months, international arrivals in the country only went through one door, namely Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta and Samratulangi Manado.

Juanda Airport began operating in stages at the beginning of this year, while only serving the return of Indonesian migrant workers, as well as breaking down the quarantine process that takes a long time so as not to overwhelm Soekarno Hatta and Samratulangi airports.