WHO confident with Indonesia detection measures
The World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Indonesia Dr. Navaratnasamy Paranietharan during a visit to University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Public Health (FKM UI) was quoted as saying "that Indonesia is well-prepared to respond to cases of coronavirus. He also confirmed that there have yet been records of the coronavirus entering Indonesia." He also said that the Indonesian government’s preparation and prevention plans are commendable.
During yesterdays event, he also strongly denies that there are doubts against Indonesia’s ability to detect coronaviruses. “This means that we believe and are confident with Indonesia’s medical capacity to handle the treatments and the detection of the virus.”
He said that Indonesia has had the capacity to detect the novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV since January 14, 2020, via PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) which is genomic sequencing equipment. Using this, he claims results from lab tests on possible coronavirus cases can be obtained in two days.
Indonesian authorities announced early today they were retracing the movement of one Chinese tourist, who tested positive in China days after his return from a visit to Bali.
“We are coordinating with the immigration and the airlines,” Bali Health Agency Head Ketut Suarjaya said. “It is possible that this person did not contract the virus while in Bali because he only stayed in Bali for more or less six days and Bali is still virus-free as of now. He may have contracted it elsewhere,”
“Indonesia is doing what is possible to be prepared for and defend against the COVID-19,” Paranietharan was quoted as saying.
In a statement earlier this week, Indonesia’s health ministry said 62 of 64 specimens collected as of 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 were negative, while the remaining two were still being tested. Indonesia had just two cases of infection and zero fatalities during the SARS epidemic, according to WHO data.
“As WHO said, we have proper and adequate facilities to detect coronavirus according to WHO standards,” Vensya Sitohang, director of health surveillance and quarantine at the ministry, said Wednesday. “So questions surrounding Indonesia’s ability to detect virus are baseless.”
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