"For now, we are making preparations for the genome sequencing examinations at the agency's laboratory. Our target is that we start the examination by September 2021," Head of the Aceh Balitbangkes Fahmi Ichwansyah stated in Banda Aceh on Thursday.
Ichwansyah noted that a third party was present to procure the WGS inspection reagents in Aceh. The contract for the procurement of reagents would take up 1.5 months, so the operation is estimated to begin at the end of September.
He remarked that the reagents were ordered in Jakarta. The Aceh Health Research and Development Institute would conduct 40 sequencing per month for a period of four months. He expected the procurement process to run smoothly, so that they could immediately conduct a trial of the WGS examination.
"Once the reagents arrive at the end of September, we will immediately prepare for the trials that will take some days. If it is successful, we will conduct a sequencing examination," he stated.
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"Later, we will conduct partial sequencing using the Sanger method that can also spot any mutations (new variant of COVID-19)," he added.
Ichwansyah noted that 11 cases of the COVID-19 delta variant were detected in Aceh based on the results of the whole genome sequencing examination of samples sent by the Aceh Health Research and Development Agency to Jakarta.
Details on the finding of the delta variant in Aceh through WGS examinations were received directly from the Head of the Center for Biomedical and Basic Health Technology (BTDK) Jakarta Health Research and Development Institute.
Ichwansyah remarked that his side still awaited an official statement from the BTDK Jakarta Health Research and Development Institute to obtain details related to the distribution of the 11 cases of the delta variant in Aceh.
"We do not know where the 11 cases are distributed. We are waiting for a letter from the centre, and later (everything) will be clear regarding the sample numbers, Single Identity Number, and where they come from," he concluded.
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Translator: Khalis Surry, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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