Sidikalang, North Sumatera (ANTARA) - The Dairi District Government, North Sumatra, had designated the Iman Tourism Park (TWI), a tourism site, to serve as an isolation center under the efforts to better handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head of Dairi District Dr Eddy Keleng Ate Berutu stated in Sidikalang on Friday that the tourism park was Dairi District's most popular tourism site. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had compelled them to turn it into a centralized isolation space.

"The centralized isolation space is equipped with healthcare workers, such as doctors and nurses, and it also has (medical) oxygen service, medications, and free food for patients," he revealed.

Berutu noted that the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had caused public distress, was due to the rampant spread of the virus and its socio-economic impacts.

Moreover, the public income had also reduced as a result.

Related news: COVID-19: Task Force offers floating isolation spaces to Padang "We must involve the public in this. If possible, (we supply) the needs of the isolating patients from the nearby community, such as food supplies, to help their income to increase again," Berutu affirmed.

"We are striving to empower the surrounding community. We thank Sitinjo’s residents, (because they allowed us to use) the area as a quarantine center. Together, let us ensure that this facility runs well, with the hopes that our people would recover soon. Thank you also to the healthcare workers for their dedication. May God bless what we do," he emphasized.

Head of the Dairi Health Office Ruspal Simarmata stated that the COVID-19 Integrated Quarantine and Isolation Center at TWI was supported by 14 healthcare workers, comprising two doctors and 12 nurses.

Level 3 of community activities restriction is imposed in Dairi District. Until now, some 382 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the area.

Isolation and quarantine spaces are the dire need of the hour in the event of the people’s homes being unable to support the self-isolation needs.

"The isolation center has six rooms with 12 beds and six quarantine rooms with 16 beds," he remarked.


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Translator: Juraidi, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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