This is a first step by the university rectorate to ensure that all teaching staff are well-prepared to conduct daily academic activities. We want to ascertain that they are all healthy
Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Some 1,652 lecturers from all faculties and study programs at the Hasanuddin University (Unhas), Makassar, South Sulawesi, embarked on a three-day rapid test, Wednesday, as part of the university's preparations for the new academic year.

"This is a first step by the university rectorate to ensure that all teaching staff are well-prepared to conduct daily academic activities. We want to ascertain that they are all healthy," Unhas Secretary Nasaruddin Salam explained.

Lecturers, with reactive rapid test results, will be directed to undergo swab tests, Salam remarked, adding that the Makassar city administration had requested its residents to take rapid tests before traveling to other cities and provinces.

To this end, the Unhas teaching staff, planning to undertake inter-city travel for research and community service-related purposes, are mandated to undergo this massive rapid test organized at the university's sports hall of the Tamalanrea campus until July 10.

Nuraeni, a teaching staff taking the rapid test, spoke of her decision to get tested for ensuring the health and safety of all people. "Hence, we need not get worried or avoid the test," she emphasized.

Coronavirus infections initially surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019.

Since then, COVID-19 has spread to over 215 countries and territories, including 34 provinces of Indonesia, with a massive spurt in death toll.

The Indonesian government officially confirmed the country's first cases on March 2 this year. The COVID-19 pandemic is undeniably a huge crisis in human history that has caused a global economic crisis.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo had earlier stated that several nations were bearing the brunt of the ongoing global novel coronavirus pandemic.

As of mid-day of Monday (July 6), with 814 more patients recovering from the coronavirus infection in Indonesia, the total recovery count reached 29,919, according to the government spokesperson for COVID-19 handling, Achmad Yurianto.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases climbed to 64,958, Yurianto remarked at a press conference of the Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling in Jakarta on Monday.

East Java registered the highest number of new cases early this week, with 308 additional confirmed cases and 104 recoveries, followed by Jakarta, with 232 new cases and 373 recoveries. (INE)

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Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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