Indonesian crew workers from the Viking Orion cruise ship arrive at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on May 11. (Photo: Antara)Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia’s National DisasterManagement Agency (BNPB) is setting up mobile laboratories at airports,seaports and border checkpoints around the country to test arrivals for COVID-19.
BNPB Secretary Harmensyah said on May 12 that Indonesian citizensstuck overseas, most of them migrant workers, are still being repatriated and the government is worriedthey might be bringing the coronavirus with them.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testingis still the most reliable method to detect COVID-19 cases and labs toperform the test should be available at every entry point to Indonesia.
The BPPT (Technology Assessment and ApplicationAgency) has developed a mobile BSL2 (biosafety level-2) laboratory capable ofperforming 262 PCR tests in 24 hours. The agency is working withteams from Gajah Mada University, Airlangga University and HepatikaMataram to reach 10,000 tests per day.
When test results come back negative,the returning citizens will be put in quarantine at dormitories orhotels.
If the results came back positive, theCovid-19 Task Force will send the patients to government quarantine facilities at the converted Athletes' Village in Jakarta or on GalangIsland in Riau.
About 90,000 Indonesianmigrant workers had already returned to the country since the coronavirus outbreakfrom several countries. Tens of thousands of other Indonesian citizens are toreturn from overseas, most of them cruise ship crew members, studentsand religious pilgrims, in May or June.
In another development, IndonesianMinister of Defence Prabowo Subianto has held talks with Chinese StateCouncilor and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe who said China will firmlysupport Indonesia’s efforts to fight against the epidemic.
Prabowo in return expressedhis gratitude to the Chinese armed forces for its support and assistance, andsaid that Indonesia spoke highly of China's achievements in combating the virusand its contributions to global cooperation in the battle./.
VNA
