"All (Riau) KPU commissioners and staff working in the same office and having come in direct contact (with Nasir) have undergone throat swab tests and currently await the results," Riau KPU Commissioner Nugroho Noto Susanto stated here on Saturday.
Nasir underwent a COVID-19 examination on Tuesday (Sept 8) after returning from an official trip in the Meranti Islands District, and the results on Friday confirmed he had contracted the coronavirus.
The Riau KPU commissioners and staff, who have undergone the tests, are urged to conduct independent isolation while awaiting results of the examination.
"The chairman is also currently not being treated at the hospital but undergoing independent isolation since he is fine, so far, without any symptoms. He just felt exhausted after returning from Meranti," Susanto noted.
Disinfectant has been sprayed in the Riau KPU office complex and was temporarily closed to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
"Meanwhile, the KPU office is closed, and we will work from home, starting next week," he revealed.
As Indonesia prepares for the 2020 simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada) to be organized in 270 regions on Dec 9, the number of COVID-19 cases has shot up quite significantly.
Those infected included prospective candidates of Pilkada, commissioners and staff of the central and local KPU as well as local Bawaslu (election supervisory board).
Commissioner of the central KPU Evi Novida Ginting Manik in Jakarta tested positive for COVID-19. Manik is currently self-isolating while keeping abreast of all KPU activities online.
In Boyolali, Central Java, 69 KPU officers got infected with COVID-19.
In Papua, a member of the local KPU had contracted the virus.
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.
Related news: Election commissioner Evi Novida Ginting infected with COVID-19
Related news: Bawaslu: KPU-Papua office advised to conduct swab testing
Translator: Vera Lusiana, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
