Illegal Gold Mine In Dongi-Dongi, Central Sulawesi, Becomes A COVID-19 Transmission Cluster

Dongi-Dongi illegal gold mining site in Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi. (Photo: Anas Masa/Antara)

JAKARTA - The Poso District Health Office in Central Sulawesi Province stated that the Dongi-Dongi illegal gold mining site in the Lore Lindu National Park area became a cluster of COVID-19 transmission.

Head of the Poso Health Service, Taufan Kawur, delivered the report during a virtual meeting held by the Central Sulawesi DPRD's COVID-19 Handling Special Committee in Palu City, Friday, August 6.

"There are not only people from the Central Sulawesi region who come to mine, but from various regions in Indonesia, and do not apply health protocols," said Taufan, quoted by Antara, Friday, August 6.

Taufan also quoted a report from the Sigi Regency Government who treated COVID-19 patients from Dongi-Dongi.

If the problem is not immediately addressed, Taufan is worried that the COVID-19 transmission cluster in Dongi-Dongi will spread to other parts of the Poso and Sigi areas.

"I ask for the attention of all parties so that it can be followed up as soon as possible," he said.

According to the COVID-19 Data and Information Center of Central Sulawesi Province, as of Thursday night (5/8) the cumulative number of residents affected by COVID-19 in Poso was 3,287 people with details of 2,666 people having recovered, 99 people died, and the rest are still undergoing treatment or self-isolation.

Taufan said that most of the COVID-19 patients undergoing self-isolation in Poso transmit the virus to people who live in the same house as them.

In response to this problem, Deputy Chairman of the Central Sulawesi DPRD, Muharram Nurdin, urged the provincial and district/city governments to provide centralized isolation facilities for COVID-19 sufferers.

"Noting the spike in COVID-19 cases in Central Sulawesi, I once again suggest centralized isolation," he said.

"The Central Sulawesi COVID-19 Task Force must study with the North Sulawesi Province COVID-19 Task Force. There is no term self-isolation, all those who are confirmed positive for COVID-19 based on the results of a swab test must undergo centralized isolation," he added.