TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As many as 98 COVID-19 patients from the cluster of the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) Officer Candidate School or Secapa AD in Bandung, West Java, have recovered. Previously, the army school reportedly had 1,280 positive infections.

“Based on the laboratory results of the second PCR swab tests this morning, July 13, 98 patients have been tested negative,” said the Army’s spokesman Brig. Gen. Nefra Firdaus in a statement on Monday, July 13.

Nefra explained that based on the protocols, some of the total patients had undergone the second swab tests, except 101 people since the second test must be conducted one week after the first test.

“So the total positive patient in Secapa AD as of this morning is 1,182,” Nefra said.

The Army Chief of Staff Gen. Andika Perkasa revealed that reports about the virus transmission among the army personnel were accidentally discovered.

“So two weeks ago, the first report came in from the school commander,” said Andika in the Military Area Command (Kodam) III/Siliwangi.

He elaborated that the new cluster emerged after two student officers sought treatment at Dustira Hospital in Cimahi City. “One of them had fever due to skin infection (bisul) and the other had a spinal problem or HMP. But when they passed swab tests, the result turned back positive.”

Andika claimed he immediately sent 1,250 COVID-19 rapid test kits from Jakarta once he received the report.

Read also: COVID-19 Cluster at TNI School an Anomaly: Ridwan Kamil

EGI ADYATAMA