We certainly support and encourage the use of the floating isolation site, so that COVID-19 patients without symptoms are able to undergo isolation at the ship in a bid to prevent the spreadSorong, West Papua (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita paid a visit to KM Sirimau, a floating isolation site in Sorong, West Papua Province, on Friday.
Minister Hartarto and Minister Kartasasmita along with their entourage were accompanied by Sorong Mayor Lambert Jitmau and local officials.
During their visit, spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force in Sorong, Ruddy Rudolf Lakku, reported that six COVID-19 patients without symptoms were undergoing isolation there, out of which one had recovered.
Lakku noted that Sorong City had experienced a spike in cases of up to 346 in a day. Hence, as a precautionary measure against another spike in the number of cases, Mayor Jitmau had coordinated with the Ministry of Transportation to bring in the KM Sirimau ship for further assistance.
However, until August 2021, with the handling of COVID-19 cases by the local government, the positivity rate in Sorong had declined to 1.3 percent, from the five percent minimum standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
"Hospital occupancy has also decreased to 3.4 percent. It proves that the precautionary measures by the regional government are very good due to which the number of daily cases had decreased significantly," Jitmau remarked.
Minister Hartarto lauded the measures to handle the COVID-19 pandemic in Sorong and West Papua, as the positivity rate had declined below five percent, while the recovery rate was above 90 percent.
The minister remarked that the handling of the floating isolation site at KM Sirimau was also good, with good health services being offered to five people undergoing isolation.
"We certainly support and encourage the use of the floating isolation site, so that COVID-19 patients without symptoms are able to undergo isolation at the ship in a bid to prevent the spread," Hartarto stated.
The minister called on the public to stay vigilant amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He also invited other regions in West Papua to emulate the handling of COVID-19 cases in Sorong.
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Translator: Ernes B K, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
