Padang, West Sumatra (ANTARA) - Six employees of two health community centers (puskesmas) in Padang, capital of West Sumatra Province, tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a local official.

The confirmed COVID-19 patients were employees of the Andalas Community Health Center and the Pegambiran Community Health Center," said Ferimulyani Hamid, chief of the Padang Health Office, here on on Sunday.

The six employees of the puskesmas had undergone quarantine and treatment, she added.

All of the other employees of the Andalas puskesmas later underwent swab tests and the results showed that none of them were infected with the coronavirus.

In the Pegambiran puskesmas, swab tests were also carried out for all of its employees, and the results were expected to come out in the next three days.

In order to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission among health center staff, the government imposed restrictions by reducing the operation of service units in the puskesmas, she remarked.

"Dental Poly is no longer providing services. This is in accordance with the circular of the Indonesian Dentists Association which has called for postponement of medical actions," she said.

Based on data of the Padang Health Office, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city as of April 18, reached 48 cases, and the death toll was six, while the number of recoveries seven.

In addition, there were 68 patients under surveillance and 38 people under monitoring related to the coronavirus transmission in Padang.

In the meantime, as of Saturday, Indonesia reported 6,248 confirmed cases, with 631 patients fully recovering from COVID-19. Meanwhile, the death toll from the deadly virus reached 535.
Related news: Indonesia's count of recovered cases surpasses COVID-19 death toll

Translator: Ikhwan W, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
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