Govt Tracks Down People Making Contact with Coronavirus Patients

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The head of the West Java Health Agency, Berli Hamdani Gelung Sakti, said his team was presently en route to Depok to trace all individuals who made contact with two Indonesians confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus.

“The West Java Health Service's quick response team is moving to the location and track down all individuals who have probably made contact with the patients who have tested positive,” he said in a text message to Tempo on Monday, March 2, 2020.

Berli said this investigation was part of the government’s endeavors to tackle the spread of the coronavirus. “If it has been confirmed that there was contact with the patients, there will be a 14-day quarantine. And if symptoms are showing, there will be monitoring and tests whether it is positive,” he said.

Berli said treatment would only be given to those whose lab results showed positive for the virus. “Those testing positive will be treated at the most complete referral hospital,” he said.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi announced two Indonesians had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The two contracted the virus from a Japanese national, who were infected with the virus, during the latter’s recent visit to Indonesia.

Ahmad Fikri (Contributor) | Galuh Kurnia Ramadhani (Intern Translator)