Balitbangkes Ministry of Health Receive Mers-Cov Samples For 24 Hours

Jakarta (Antara) - Ministry of Health's Agency for Health Research and Development (Balitbangkes) was declared ready to receive samples for 24 hours to test whether they are infected by the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) disease. "Our laboratory is ready for 24 hours to receive the samples. Please send," the chief of Balitbangkes in the Ministry of Health Tjandra Yoga Aditama said here on Wednesday. Tjandra said the agency is waiting for the samples from Medan and Bali to ensure whether they are infected with the corona virus. "We are examining samples from the Bali case, but in that case the person does not have a high fever. So that person did not have a common symptom of the disease, but we are still checking it," Tjandra added. However, so far the examined samples from Umrah (Minor Hajj) pilgrims as well as those who returned from Arab countries had tested negative for the MERS-CoV disease. However, Tjandra said the agency will remain wary of the MERS-CoV infection in Indonesia. The death rate due to the MERS-CoV disease currently is 30 percent, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet recommended a travel warning. "No need to worry too much because the rate of infection is small compared to the people there (in Arab countries)," Tjandra added. However, Umrah pilgrims and citizens who are traveling to Arab countries are expected to be alert and immediately contact the health care agency if they have symptoms of high fever, flu, cough and shortness of breath. (*) Reporting by Arie Novarina Translated by Maria Rosari