Govt Urged to Intensify Covid-19 Testing, Tracing in Papua

Jakarta: Professor Tjandra Yoga Aditama from the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Indonesia (FKUI), has  urged the government to intensify testing, tracing, and treatment (3T) in Papua to stop COVID-19 transmission in Papua Province.
 
“If they test negative (for COVID-19) during the PCR test when they came, it means they were infected in Papua. Hence, 3T should be intensified in pursuit of the right epidemiological situation,” Aditama noted in a written statement received here, Thursday.
 
The professor made the statement after receiving information that 29 people comprising athletes, officials, and members of the event’s organizing committee in the National Sports Week (PON) being held in Papua had tested positive for COVID-19.

Aditama assessed that whole-genome sequencing should be conducted since some of those 29 people were also reported to have low CT values.
 
According to the professor, tracing should be conducted on all that had come in contact with those 29 people.
 
“If the target is to test at least 15 contacts per one person (who tested positive), so 450 people (in total) should be tested. If like before, the target is to test 30 contacts for one person, then it means that 900 people should be tested, including residents, who are possibly exposed to the virus too,” he expounded.
 
Aditama further advised the government to improve compliance with health protocols among all those partaking in the Papua PON, right from spectators to all athletes.
 
In addition to tracking and strengthening health protocols, the professor remarked that surveillance should be intensified in order to obtain positive trends on COVID-19. Aditama noted that surveillance also should be linked to three aspects: the location, types of sports, and characteristics of spectators at the location.
 
The professor urged the government and organizing committee to treat those testing positive for COVID-19 until the test result came negative.
 
Lastly, Aditama made an earnest appeal that once the athletes returned to their hometowns, supervision would nonetheless be conducted, including on the athletes' family members that had come in close contact.

 
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