Questioning The Impropriety Of Comparison Of Positive Cases And ODP In DKI

Illustrations (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - There is something unusual about the comparison or ratio between the data on the development of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and people under monitoring (ODP) in DKI Jakarta.

To note, positive cases are people who have been declared infected with COVID-19 by the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), based on the results of examining the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) saliva specimen test. They receive treatment in hospital or perform independent isolation at home.

Meanwhile, ODP is a person with symptoms of fever above 38 degrees Celsius or a history of fever and ARI without pneumonia, and has a travel history from areas with recorded cases of COVID-19.

ODP can also be asymptomatic (appear healthy), but have had close contact with a COVID-19 positive patient. ODP status is determined by local health officials.

The question is, the ratio between positive cases of COVID-19 and ODP in the province that has the most cases in Indonesia is relatively small, when compared to other provinces. As of May 2, 2020, there were 4,355 positive cases in DKI and 8,317 ODP. That is, the ratio is positive and ODP is 1: 2.

Meanwhile, in East Java, there were 1,038 positive cases and 19,767 ODP cases, meaning that the ratio was positive and ODP was 1:19. In West Java, there were 1,012 positive cases and ODP as many as 8,533, meaning that the ratio of positive and ODP was 1: 8 in South Sulawesi, positive cases were 577 and ODP was 2,867, meaning that the ratio was positive and ODP was 1: 4.

Epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia Syahrizal Syarif thinks the positive ratio and ODP in DKI is absurd when compared to other provinces which also have a large number of cases in Indonesia.

"It doesn't make sense if the ratio between positive and ODP in DKI is 1: 2. This is because ODP describes the large number of groups at risk for COVID-19 and the number of positive cases in DKI is large," said Syarif to VOI, Saturday, May 2.

According to Syarif, the possible cause of the small positive ratio and ODP is due to differences in the standardization of ODP determination between the DKI Health Office and other provinces.

"I am worried that the definition of ODP is not the same as understood by officials or authorized health workers between DKI and other provinces. Just look at the difference in the number of ODP in DKI with other areas in Java and outside Java where ODP is high," said Syarif.

"Referring to the Ministry of Health's guidelines, ODP is a person with symptoms such as fever. However, there is also ODP which is often interpreted as without symptoms," he added.

The VOI team tried to confirm this to the ranks of the DKI Health Office, namely the Head of the Health Resources Division Ani Ruspitawati and the Head of Disease Prevention and Control Dwi Oktaviani.

Both said that they would try to trace positive ratio data and ODP. However, until this article was published, there was no further confirmation from the ranks of the DKI Health Office.