This Area Lacks Rapid Test Equipment And It Is Difficult To Trace Patients Exposed To COVID-19

Illustration/Photo: PIXABAY

LABUAN BAJO - Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara is currently experiencing a shortage of rapid antigen test kits used to trace close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 patients.

"We lack rapid antigen kits, so there will be no antigen tests this week until next week," said Health Epidemiologist at the Health Service Nagekeo Konstantinus Ua when contacted by Antara, Friday, March 11.

To overcome the shortage of stock, the Nagekeo Health Office itself has attempted to borrow similar equipment from neighboring districts, however, there is also insufficient stock of these tools.

He said that the public health center was directed to do equipment shopping through the use of JKN funds, although not much. While spending on equipment in large quantities, said Konstan, efforts are being made to use the district's budget.

The Nagekeo Regency Government through the Nagekeo Health Office has indeed intensively traced close contacts of COVID-19 patients. Officers from each public health center (puskesmas) conducted contact tracing on all positive confirmed cases in their respective work areas.

For close contacts who are confirmed positive for COVID-19, officers will direct them to self-isolate for 10-14 days. Meanwhile, for close contacts with negative results, self-quarantine can be carried out for approximately five days.

Konstan said all close contact tracing activities were carried out using rapid antigen tests. Thus, the availability of these tools is very much needed for the smooth control of the spread of COVID-19 in Nagekeo Regency.

The trend of daily cases of COVID-19 in Nagekeo Regency continues to increase every day. The highest daily number of cases occurred on March 6, 2022, with 72 cases.