COVID-19 Cases in PON Papua Rise; Seven Athletes Escape Isolation Center

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of COVID-19 cases during the National Games or PON Papua continues to increase. As of today, October 11, there were 83 confirmed infections.

“As of yesterday, 65 new cases were identified. As of this afternoon, there were 83 confirmed cases,” said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in an online press conference broadcasted via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel, Monday.

According to Budi, the infection clusters at the national game were concentrated in several sports such as judo, rollerblading, archery, motocross, and cricket. Athletes and officials who tested positive hailed from Jakarta, East Java, Central Java, Jambi, and Bali.

“We observe that the virus transmission is most likely to occur at the inn because one room is occupied by up to four athletes and they eat together,” Budi explained.

Budi also reported that seven athletes with COVID-19 escaped the isolation center. One athlete returned to Tarakan, two people to Jambi, three people to Sidoarjo, and one person to Yogyakarta.

“And as ordered by the President, athletes who return to their regions before they complete the isolation period will be quarantined or isolated at arrival points,” Budi added.

The implementation of the national games would be a lesson for the government to improve rules on the health protocols in other major events.

“We will ensure that the COVID-19 Task Force for each future event is given sufficient authority to monitor the health protocols. Second, [the physical distance rule between athletes and officials] during sleeping and meal times in all dormitories and athletes' residences are maintained. Third, we will routinely conduct random PCR tests on athletes,” Minister Budi said of the COVID-19 clusters of PON Papua.

Read: Sports Minister on 29 COVID-19 Cases during PON Papua: Games Continue

DEWI NURITA