Update On COVID-19 As Of April 1: The Government Is Preparing New COVID-19 Tests That Detect Faster

Government spokesman for the handling of the corona virus or COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto (Photo: Twitter @ ag3126)

JAKARTA - Government spokesman for the handling of the corona virus or COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto (Yuri) said there were an additional 149 positive corona virus patients, as of Wednesday, April 1 at 12.00 WIB. In total, there are 1,677 positive corona virus patients distributed in 32 provinces throughout Indonesia.

Furthermore, Yuri stated, there were an additional 21 cases of patients who had died, with the total today reaching 157 people. Then, as of today, there have also been an additional 22 cases of patients who were declared cured, bringing the total to 103 people.

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- BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) April 1, 2020

Meanwhile, Yuri continued, in the near future the government will put on a test specimen test for COVID-19 with the molecular rapid test (TCM) model. This method is commonly used to diagnose tuberculosis (TB).

"In the near future, we will take advantage of the TCM inspection machine which has been deployed in more than 132 hospitals. Then, in several selected health centers, we will convert it to be able to carry out the COVID-19 test," Yuri said in a press conference at Graha BNPB, East Jakarta, Wednesday, April 1.

This test is claimed to be faster and more accurate, because the test is in the form of an antigen which is similar to the PCR examination. Yuri hopes that the COVID-19 TCM will further shorten the specimen examination distance, from the treatment location to the laboratory where the specimen is tested.

"So the interpretation is definite, whether someone is infected or definitely not infected. This is not the antibody examination that we use in the rapid test mechanism," he said.

However, Yuri said, the process of adapting the test specimen changes from rapid to TCM mechanism is not easy. Because, this technique brings a special cartridge and a different machine. Not to mention, health workers who carry out examinations must be given training.

"However, we are optimistic that this week we will start doing this, and we hope that today, at the latest tomorrow, the cartridge will start to test the engine," Yuri explained.

For information, to date the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19 has distributed 475,200 rapid test kits to detect the COVID-19 virus throughout the province.

Meanwhile, only 6,500 specimens / samples sent to 34 laboratories throughout Indonesia are used for testing and then used to determine diagnoses in PCR examinations.

"This will consume energy, consume quite a lot of human resources, and we will continue to do this. Our commitment to the future is to step more aggressively to determine new cases. Then, carry out isolation so that it can break the chains of transmission that are wider in the community," he said.

Furthermore, the government has also distributed 349 thousand personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet the needs of health workers who are at the forefront of treating COVID-19 patients. A total of 360 referral hospitals have been prepared, both government-owned, military-police, state-owned, and private hospitals.

"This is our mutual commitment that this problem is a serious problem that must be handled in an integrated manner from all parties," concluded Yuri.