Indonesian Government Urged to Intensify Mass Testing for Covid-19

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – An epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, called on the government to conduct more coronavirus tests, especially in provinces with low test rates.

“Do as many tests as possible in provinces with low test rates and then carry out health care interventions according to local conditions,” Miko told Kompas.com om Friday, September 18.

Miko said that more tests are key to the success of controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. Proper isolation of Covid-19 patients or suspects is also important, he added.

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“To isolate and quarantine the suspects as soon as possible is key to success. If there aren’t many tests, this won’t succeed though,” he said.

As of 12pm, Friday, 3,891 new confirmed cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the country's total Covid-19 cases to 236,519.

The data of 3,891 new cases were received following the government laboratory tests on 44,428 specimens a day. This number has exceeded the daily target of 30,000 specimens which was set by President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo.

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During the same period, samples from 28,324 people were collected for laboratory testing.

In total, the government has tested 2.84 million specimens taken from 1.67 million people as one person can undergo examination more than once.