Pilkada Cluster So Because East Sumba Got Priority For The COVID-19 Vaccine

East Sumba Regent Gidion Mbilijora (Source: sumbatimurkab.go.id)

JAKARTA - The Regent of East Sumba, West Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Gidion Mbilijora, explained that the two sub-districts in his area have received priority for the COVID-19 vaccine. Gidion said partly because the area was once the 2020 Pilkada cluster.

"There is because the 2020 regional election cluster. The current Deputy Regent has not yet been discharged from the hospital either," said Gidion to VOI.

Previously, in the middle of December last year, there were reports of three new cases of COVID-19. Two of the cases involved deputy regent Umbu Lili Pekuwali and his wife.

"He (Umbu) ran to be a candidate for district head but he didn't win," said Gidion. "His family is affected a lot. He and his wife, brother-in-law, their children, the children of their in-laws," he explained.

The COVID-19 Pilkada cluster in East Sumba also resulted in two deaths. "His team also has two people who have died," he said.

Infographic by Raga Granada / VOI

Handling COVID-19 in East Sumba

Currently, the problem of the COVID-19 cluster has been handled by the East Sumba regency. While those who are positive for COVID-19 have all been isolated.

"Now all the handlers have been isolated. Their families have all been isolated," said Gideon. "People in contact with them have also had PCR swab tests done," he added.

Handling the spread of COVID-19 in East Sumba is not without challenges. First he explained the absence of a PCR laboratory.

"The problem is that we don't have a PCR laboratory. So we have to send it to Kupang, and queue again in Kupang. That's why it's slow to receive the results," said Gidion.

Gidion gave an example, there was one person who was indicated by COVID-19, the person was then tested and the results came out two weeks later. Sadly, "The day after the test came out, he immediately had a high fever and died," he said.

For this reason, Gidion relies on a rapid molecular test to trace people who became the 2020 Pilkada cluster last year.

"We have stock of five hundred, but now the election cluster time is up. Because we test all those involved," he concluded.