Covid-19 Cases from Panbil Dormitory Increasing Again, Here's Health Department Response

Editor: Putri Larasati Anggiawan

TRIBUNBATAM.id, BATAM - Patients confirmed positive for Covid-19 from Panbil Mukakuning Dormitory area, Batam City, continue to grow.

In two days, from September 26-27, 2020, workers exposed to Covid-19 there increased by 17 people.

Seeing this condition, Head of Batam City Health Department ( Kadinkes), Didi Kusmarjadi said that the potential for an explosion of patients at Panbil Mukakuning Dormitory is likely to occur again.

"Yes, it could," said Didi to Tribun Batam when confirmed, Monday (28/9/2020).

However, he did not want to speculate too far regarding the potential of the explosion.

This is because the two dormitories in Mukakuning industrial area are indeed used as quarantine places for workers who are reactive to Covid-19 after the mass rapid test of the two companies was held a few days ago.

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The two companies are PT Infineon Technologies Batam and PT Philips.

Didi confirmed that the two companies had conducted mass swab checks on all of their employees.

Separately, Deputy Chief of Regional Coordinator ( Korwil) of  Kepri Industrial Estate ( HKI), Tjaw Hioeng or familiarly called Ayung said, the addition of positive Covid-19 patients from Mukakuning Panbil Dormitory was a natural thing.

"This is because the dormitories are quarantine places for workers who are declared Covid-19 reactive while waiting for the results of the swab. 

If positive, they will be taken to the referral hospital," he explained when contacted by Tribun Batam.

For the selection of the dormitory area in Mukakuning as a place of quarantine, Ayung said that this had been done a few days ago.

Especially since many industrial workers there have been exposed to Covid-19.

"Two dormitories, Batamindo and Panbil areas. For the block, it is the authority of the management to notify," he added.