Asni Ovier, Jakarta – National Covid-19 Task Force Head Doni Monardo confirmed on Saturday he has tested positive for coronavirus following week-long trips to Sulawesi and Kalimantan.

Doni, who also chairs the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, has spent the past week in West Sulawesi to coordinate responses after a devastating earthquake and in South Kalimantan where massive flooding paralyzed several districts.

"The result from my PCR [polymerase chain reaction]-based test last night came back positive this morning. I didn't feel any mild symptom as I had my morning routine – going for an eight-kilometer walk," Doni said in a statement.

He said he is now self-quarantining at home while continuing to work remotely.

Doni returned from South Sulawesi on Friday afternoon and took diagnostic test for coronavirus test along with the entire staff members accompanying him in the trip. A member also tested positive.

An aide said Doni arrived in the West Sulawesi town of Mamuju on Jan. 15, a day after the earthquake that killed at least 88 people. Two days later, he went to inspect flooding in South Kalimantan and spent three days there, before returning to West Sulawesi.

Doni speculated he may have caught the virus during meal time because that's when he had to remove his mask. "My advice is that we should keep a distance from others when having a meal to prevent the transmission," Doni said.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesian-covid-task-force-head-tests-positive-for-coronaviru