While responding to a query posed by a member of the House of Representatives’ (DPR's) Commission II during a hearing at the Parliament Building here on Thursday, Kawima confirmed that Manik had contracted the virus.
"Mr. Secretary General, has Novida (Ginting) indeed been infected with the coronavirus?" one of the legislators attending the hearing broadcast during a live streaming video on the DPR YouTube account stated.
KPU Chairman Arief Budiman earlier noted that Ginting had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 based on the results of a swab test obtained on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.
Despite the disease, Ginting did not exhibit any clinical symptoms, as she showed no signs of fever, cough, or runny nose.
Ginting is currently self-isolating while keeping abreast of all KPU activities online.
In the meantime, Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy after the US and India, is yet again prepping to hold the simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada) in 270 regions, or nearly half of its territories, on December 9 this year. Despite the application of health protocols, COVID-19 has become a real threat to local elections, as several local election officers had contracted the infection.
In East Barito District, Central Kalimantan, head of the local election supervisory office (Bawaslu), identified as F, 37, and a member of the local election office (KPU), identified as Z, 44, had tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time.
In Papua, a member of the local KPU had contracted the virus. In Boyolali, Central Java, 69 KPU officers were infected with COVID-19.
Several prospective candidate pairs participating in the elections in various regions have also reportedly been infected with COVID-19.
Related news: Bawaslu: KPU-Papua office advised to conduct swab testing
Related news: KPU-Papua office member infected with COVID-19: commission
Translator: Abdu Faisal, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
