Rapid Test to detect Covid-19 had been starting since Friday (20/3/2020). The test is done for suspected people since they had previous contact with people with Corona positive patients.
Rapid Test is done this afternoon (20/3) from home to home in the area where people had contact with the Covid-19 positive patient recently, said President Jokowi live from his Youtube channel.
South Jakarta is chosen as the first location of the mass rapid test because many people had contact with Covid-19 positive patients. According to the president, the government gives priority to the most prone area. South Jakarta is indicated as the most prone area.
Achmad Yurianto, spokesperson of the government for handling Covid-19 case explains rapid test is a specimen checking of suspect Covid-19 using blood sample instead of using swab throat. This method has pre-eminence as it doesn’t need lab checking at biosecurity level II. It means that the test can be done at all hospitals in Indonesia, said Yuri as quoted by Kompas.com The result of the test also known quicker.
Until Thursday (19/3/2020) there are 308 positive Covid-19 cases. From that number 25 died and 15 recovers.
(Update (20/3/2020): 369 Positive, 32 died)
Meanwhile, Sanglah Public Hospital starts rapid test service for Corona virus since today (21/3/2020). It located at Poli TB-MDR next to Nusa Indah room as reported by IDN Times.
Dewa Kresna, Kasubag Humas RSUP Sanglah said, people who had a travel history to abroad or had visited the area with the positive Covid-19 cases and not feeling well with fever, cough, flu can come to have a rapid test, please don’t forget to wear masker.
This service open from 8 am – 4 pm, every day except on Nyepi day (25/03/2020). After 4 pm, people can do a rapid test service at IRD Sanglah Hospital.
The goal of the rapid test is to find people with positive corona earlier so it doesn’t spread to the community. To minimize spreading, those who want to do tests must enter from the back door at the back of the Nusa Indah room.
The result of the rapid tests will be known after a day or 2 after the sample is taken. Sanglah Hospital will contact through the phone to inform the patient, no need to come back to the hospital for knowing the status. If the result positive, Sanglah Hospital will take action due to the official procedure.
feature image: Kompas TV