Andi Firdaus, Raka Adji, Jakarta – The COVID-19 positivity rate among health workers is currently high, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, has informed.

"The positivity rate of our health workers is high. On average, there are five health workers testing positive out of eight (health workers) tested," she told ANTARA here on Wednesday.

As per initial data collected from four Jakarta hospitals, as of February 6, 2022, more than 30 percent of health workers in the hospitals had been exposed to COVID-19, she added.

The four hospitals were the Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital (RSKO) with 63 percent positivity rate, Fatmawati Hospital 41 percent, Sulianti Saroso Hospital 40 percent, and Harapan Kita Heart Hospital 39 percent, Tarmizi said.

"It is just the initial data. Currently, the number of health workers tested is still low," she added.

Separately, chairman of the central executive board (DPP) of the Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI), Harif Fadillah, said that so far, at least 20 nurses from the association have been exposed to COVID-19.

The number has been reported through the online system of the national PPNI network since January 1, 2022, he added.

"However, there are still many members who have not filled out the PPNI monitoring link yet," he said.

According to Fadillah, PPNI members who have tested positive have mostly experienced mild or no symptoms.

"We encourage those who are exposed now to self-isolate," he said.

Head of the Working Group of the Indonesian Society of Respirology (PDPI), Erlina Burhan, confirmed that specialist doctors have begun to be exposed to COVID-19 in the last few days.

"There are already those who have been exposed to COVID-19, and the number continues to grow because the Omicron variant is very contagious. However, I do not have the exact number," she said.

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data provided by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of February 9, 2022, Indonesia has recorded 4,626,936 COVID-19 cases, 4,216,328 recoveries, and 144,784 deaths.

Source: https://en.antaranews.com/news/214393/covid-19-positivity-rate-high-among-health-workers-ministr