Regions Need More Covid-19 Testers

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A man reads a notice on online services on the door of the integrated One-Stop Services Office in Kebon Baru subdistrict, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (17/3/2020). Many public services in Kebon Baru – including SKCK, SKTM, IUMK, Yellow Card services – have closed their doors for two weeks through Tuesday, 31 March 2020, in compliance with the Jakarta Governor’s Circular No. 2/SE/2020 on work system adjustments in the city’s bid to contain the spread of COVID-19. The one service exempted in the circular is the issuance of death certificates.

Local administrations are calling for more COVID-19 testers to be available and for sample checks to be performed in their areas. This way, detection can take place faster.

JAKARTA KOMPAS — As shown by other countries, early detection, to know whether someone is infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, is one of the keys to curb the transmission of the disease. Through early detection, further treatment of someone suspected of being infected with the coronavirus can immediately be determined and whether he or she is healthy or should be isolated to get more treatment.

Several regional leaders understand this well. The mayor of Bogor, West Java, Bima Arya, through a voice recording received by Kompas on Tuesday (17/03/2020), said that his side had coordinated with the West Java provincial administration to get facilities to perform COVID-19 tests for patients in Bogor. This way, the test results can quickly be identified.

The sample tests are also prioritized for patients with strong symptoms indicating exposure to the coronavirus or who have a history of traveling to areas with COVID-19 cases.

According to him, currently sample tests cannot be carried out in all places because of limited equipment and an overabundance of protocols. The sample tests are also prioritized for patients with strong symptoms indicating exposure to the coronavirus or who have a history of traveling to areas with COVID-19 cases.

"We ask the health agency to consider the possibility of performing tests in Bogor. We can speed up the process whether the tools [for testing] can be obtained from the central government or from the Bandung [provincial administration]," said Bima, adding that people who had just returned from overseas are now being monitored. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said he was trying to add sample testing locations so that the results come out faster and the treatment could be done as early as possible. At present, the closest location for sample testing is at the Agency for Environmental Health Engineering and Disease Control in Yogyakarta. "We are making preparations so that it can be done at a hospital in Central Java," he said.

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

A worker wipes down a bench with disinfectant on Tuesday (17/3/2020) at Lombok International Airport in West Nusa Tenggara. Many public facilities in the province are using disinfectant for routine cleaning to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia.

House of Representatives member Rifqinizamy Karsayuda of South Kalimantan said the Health Ministry should immediately distribute COVID-19 test equipment to all provinces, including South Kalimantan. According to him, in South Kalimantan there were two hospitals designated for the treatment of COVID-19, namely Ulin Regional Hospital in Banjarmasin and Hadji Boejasin Regional Hospital in Pelaihari, but until now there were no COVID-19 test kits.As the Wall Street Journal reported, South Korea is capable of testing 20,000 people each day in 633 locations across the country, including at drive-through clinics. The samples are transported to 118 laboratories. About 1,200 health officers are tasked with analyzing the test results.The first COVID-19 test tool in South Korea was approved by the government on 4 February 2020 when there were only 16 cases. Rapid testing has enabled the authorities in finding more cases. On 3 March 2020, there were a total of 5,120 cases in South Korea, of which 851 were new cases. On 16 March, the number of new cases per day decreased, namely 74 cases, while the total number was 7,024 cases. At present, more than 250,000 South Koreans have been tested. The country is said to have succeeded in reducing the rate of transmission by increasing tests, without locking down the cities.

A member of the Indonesian Public Health Expert Association politics and health department’s executive, Syahrizal Syarif, said that patients infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus must be quickly found. Therefore, the tests on people at risk of infection need to be expanded. This action should include those who do not show symptoms, considering that the infection can occur without symptoms.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A worker disinfects a barrier near the orangutan enclosure on Tuesday (17/3/2020) at Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta. The zoo – as well as most tourist spots in Jakarta – has been closed for two weeks since 14 March 2020 as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to him, the tests must include all people at risk. Referring to the cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, from 20 to 50 percent of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 had no symptoms, but they could still transmit the virus.

12 laboratoriesBased on a decree of the minister of health, No. 182/2020 concerning the COVID-19 Test Laboratory Network, there are 12 laboratories appointed to do the tests. They are, among others, the laboratory belonging to the Medical School of Airlangga University, the Medical School of the University of Indonesia, Eijkman Molecular Biology Institute and the health laboratory of the Jakarta administration. In addition, there are also four health laboratory agencies (BBLK) that are on the ready, namely Jakarta BBLK, Palembang BBLK, Makassar BBLK and Surabaya BBLK.

The government spokesman for the COVID-19 outbreak, Achmad Yurianto, said that several laboratories have already performed the tests. A number of specimens have been tested and there have been results. However, confirmation of the results remains in the hands of the Health Ministry’s Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes).

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Passengers practice social distancing in a train car plying the Commuter Line’s Rawa Buntu-Tanah Abang route at 11:28 a.m. on Tuesday (17/3/2020). President Joko Widodo\'s call for social distancing, staying at home and eliminating unnecessary travel has led to a sudden decline in passenger numbers in Jakarta’s mass transit system.

Based on data from the Health Ministry, more than 2,300 samples have been tested related to COVID-19, of which 172 were positive. The cases were spreading in Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, North Sulawesi, West Kalimantan and Riau Islands. Seven people died and nine people recovered.

"We have already received 10,000 test tools and more will come. The tools must be bought and it doesn\'t matter because the providers and distributors are ready to provide us," said Yuri.

Meanwhile, regarding President Joko Widodo\'s social distancing policy, Syahrizal said people should be committed to implementing it. (MTK/DIT/JUM/TAN)

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

A motorcyclist drives past a public information banner on a postponed dangdut concert on Tuesday (17/3/2020) in Cipondoh district, Tengerang, Banten. Many public events have been either postponed or cancelled in response to the President’s call to practice social distancing, which includes avoiding mass gatherings.