Dozens Of Athletes Positive For COVID-19, Task Force Arranges Quarantine Mechanisms Returning From PON Papua

COVID-19 Handling Task Force Spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito (Photo: BNPB dock)

JAKARTA - Dozens of athletes who competed in the XX Papua PON were exposed to COVID-19. Spokesman for the COVID-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said that his party would immediately follow up on the findings.

Wiku said the government is currently preparing a mechanism for the return of all parties participating in the PON Papua event so as not to spread COVID-19. One of them is by doing quarantine.

"Currently, the committee is tightening health screening and soon the government will prepare a mechanism for returning event participants, for example quarantine, testing when they return, and so on," Wiku told VOI, Wednesday, October 6.

Wiku said, this mechanism was carried out to ensure that Papuan PON participants did not carry the corona virus when they returned to their area of origin.

He continued, the government had followed up on the findings of COVID-19 cases in athletes competing in the Papua National Sports Week in accordance with the guidelines that had been prepared.

"Currently, health care is still being carried out according to the guidelines that were prepared before the XX PON began, namely by immediately mobilizing positive cases for isolation or treatment," he explained.

It is known, there were at least 29 PON participants, both athletes, officials and committees who were exposed to the Corona virus. A total of 29 people are spread across 4 PON 2021 clusters, namely in Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, Mimika Regency, and Jayapura Regency.

The majority of PON participants who were exposed to COVID-19 experienced mild symptoms. One of the 29 have recovered, and one is in self-isolation. The rest are being treated on two ships owned by Pelni and a number of hospitals.

The organizers of the Papua PON actually have carried out the process starting from entering the Cenderawasih Earth. Everyone who enters the easternmost province of Indonesia is required to do PCR and is negative for COVID-19.

However, the virus continues to spread and is proven by the discovery of athletes, officials and the organizing committee who were affected by the virus from China.