Causes Of COVID-19 PON Papua Cases: Interaction Of Roommates To Celebrate Medals

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Unit Wiku Adisasmito/IST

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Unit, Wiku Adisasmito, explained the cause of the findings of the COVID-19 case in the XX Papua PON.

Wiku said, most of the transmission of the corona virus did not occur when athletes competed. However, the transmission occurred during the interaction of PON participants in the same room, until the celebration when they got medals that did not comply with health protocols.

"So far, the Ministry of Health has reported that the emergence of positive cases due to interactions between participants in the room and when eating together, athletes also partly became spectators, sometimes during celebrations they did not comply with health protocols," said Wiku in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, 12 October.

To date, there have been 83 cases of COVID-19 as of October 11 in the sporting event. However, said Wiku, the findings of this case were only 0.83 percent of all PCR examinations of participants who participated in the implementation of PON.

"Only 83 positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 were found as of October 11 from nearly 10 thousand participants who took part in the XX PON event, or about 0.83 percent," said Wiku.

Wiku emphasized that the government was monitoring and evaluating compliance with health protocols. In its implementation, various violations found in the field become meaningful inputs, especially efforts to monitor and discipline participants' behavior during the event.

"Then, monitoring positive cases in the implementation area with data recorded by the health department and routine surveillance, especially for event participants," he said.

Furthermore, if a positive case appears, then immediate action is taken to handle the positive case. "Handling is through the alertness of referrals for isolation or treatment, contact tracing, and epidemiological investigations to find out the source of the spread pattern," continued Wiku.

For information, out of 83 people who were exposed to COVID-19 in the middle of the XX Papua PON, athletes were dominated. While the rest, consisting of officials, referees, and journalists who are doing the coverage.

Of the total cases found, 72 percent of cases came from athletes, 23 percent of officials, 1.5 percent of coaches, 1.5 referees. Several sports athletes who were quite exposed to COVID-19 were 9 athletes in judo, rollerblading, motocross, archery, and cricket.