Health Minister on Coronavirus Test: We Will Inform As It Is

Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto answers reporters’ questions outside the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Monday (2/3). (Photo by: PR/Jay).

Indonesian Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto on Monday (2/3) has said that the Government will tell the public the result of coronavirus tests as it is.

“If the result is positive, we will inform it positive and vice versa,” Terawan said at the Presidential Office, Jakarta.

Regarding the two people who are positive from coronavirus, the Minister said that the Ministry had followed up by transporting the two to the Sulianti Saroso Infection Center Hospital to be isolated and get treatments according to the World Health Organization’s protocol.

“We have done according to the procedure; which patient that must undergo house quarantine, which patient must be taken to the hospital’s isolation room, it depends on the contact with the virus carrier,” Terawan said, adding that the Government will also conduct surveillance tracking wherever the carrier goes.

The Minister also urged the public to maintain their immunity and if they found any initial symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and fever, he ordered them to go to the nearest hospital or community health center (puskesmas). “Keep in mind, the coronavirus is a self-limited disease (the patient can heal themselves by increasing their immunity),” he added.

Terawan went on to say that a vaccine for the virus has not yet been found and the Government plans to utilize the two existing cases samples for vaccine development research. (FID/AIT/EN)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Reviewed by: Lulu Wuliarti