Now Papua can check 300 swap samples per day

Now Papua can check 300 swap samples per day

In the past two days, there have been two Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR devices operated in Jayapura City, to test swabs of patients with symptoms of Covid-19. With the PCR of the Papua Health Research and Development Center and the Papua Regional Health Laboratory Center, Papua is able to examine 300 swap samples per day.

Papua Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson, Dr. Silwanus Sumule SpOG said the two PCR devices operating in Jayapura were each able to check 140-150 samples per day.

"Within a day, we can conduct as many as 300 samples examination. [Government] districts / cities that have taken swab samples, immediately notify us, so we can pick up the ball and immediately conduct an inspection, "Sumule said on Friday (5/15/2020).

When asked about PT Freeport Indonesia's PCR equipment which was rumored to be used to check swabs from patients in Timika and its surroundings, Sumule said it was still waiting for the latest news from Mimika Regency.

"From Timika, the last word was still constrained. To date there is no such data [examination], "he said.

Regarding the rapid test examination method, Sumule explained that until Friday the district / city government in Papua had conducted a rapid test for 20,243 samples. According to him, in the warehouse of the Papua Provincial Health Office there are still supplies of 31 thousand units of rapid test kits.

"We need around 249,000 rapid test kits to conduct mass tests in four districts and one city, according to the results of the meeting [Coordination Forum for Regional Leadership of Papua Province this week]. These needs are not only [fulfilled by] the Papua Provincial Health Office, but also [from the government] of the regencies / cities, "Sumule said.

Previously, the meeting of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Papua Province on Thursday (05/14/2020) night agreed on an action plan for handling and preventing Covid-19 in Papua Province. One of the action plans is to conduct a mass inspection in Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, Keerom, Nabire and Mimika.