Asylum Seekers Infected With COVID In Bintan Riau Continue To Increase, Now Reaching 57 People

Illustration-Riau Islands Provincial BPBD officers spray disinfectant at one of the COVID-19 patient homes. (AMONG)

RIAU - The COVID-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) for the Riau Islands Province recorded that the number of asylum seekers living at the Bhadra Hotel, Bintan Regency had increased from 40 people to 57 people.

Spokesman for the Riau Islands COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Tjetjep Yudiana, said that until now it was not known from whom the dozens of asylum seekers had contracted COVID-19.

"We are monitoring and providing assistance so that the handling of COVID-19 at the Bhadra Hotel is in accordance with health standards. Do not let the number increase," he said in Tanjungpinang as reported by Antara, Sunday, May 30.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Bintan Gama District Health Office, AF Isnaeni, added that initially an asylum seeker contracted COVID-19. Then pass it on to 15 others.

After a swab test using the antigen method, it turns out that the number has increased to 57 people.

"Initially, it was possible that the asylum seekers were allowed to move outside the hotel," he said.

The largest Bhadra Hotel cluster in Bintan Regency. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 widely, a number of officers were stationed at the Bhadra Hotel. Asylum seekers who are infected with COVID-19 are expected not to interact with other asylum seekers.

"We recently received information that they are still interacting with other asylum seekers. We are worried that the number will increase if they do not isolate themselves," he said.

Gama said all asylum seekers who contracted COVID-19 had no symptoms. They are in good health and active as usual.

But since three days ago they were forbidden to leave the hotel. "We have written to IOM to provide food for them so they don't have to leave the hotel," he said.