The World Health Organisation has reportedly inspected the public health screening facilities at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and at Sulianto Saroso Hospital, a referral hospital for infectious diseases in North Jakarta, to ensure that Indonesia is ready to handle this outbreak.
"The visit confirmed the strong commitment of the staff and highlighted the importance of vigilant practices in screening for any suspected 2019-nCoV infected people, particularly given the high volume of people arriving to Indonesia through the airport," the WHO says in a statement, as quoted by Jakarta Globe.
The Sulianti Saroso Hospital, the WHO said, "is well-equipped to handle an infectious disease outbreak adequately with the appropriate facilities and measures in place, in accordance with WHO guidelines."
However, up until Friday only the Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) of the country's Ministry of Health .
Health officers must send a sample of mucus for patients suspected of being infected with the virus to Jakarta for examination. This makes the time needed to confirm infection becomes longer.
"Other laboratories should be able to make the diagnosis soon," Wiendra Waworuntu, the ministry's director of prevention and control of infectious diseases, as quoted by Jakarta Globe.
"Any case [of the novel coronavirus] still requires formal confirmation from the Balitbangkes, but patients' mucus samples can be examined locally."
Indonesia has reported zero cases on coronavirus so far. All specimens that have been tested at the Ministry of Health's Litbangkes Laboratories are also negative. Health authorities say they believe this virus has not yet reached Indonesia.
Passengers wearing protective masks walk at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia. The Indonesian government on 05 February started to halt flights to and from mainland China to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Source: AAP Image/EPA/MADE NAGI
"We are still convinced that there isn't anyone infected with novel coronavirus in Indonesia," says Anung Sugihantono, the Director General of Indonesia's Disease Control and Environmental Health, as quoted by ABC.
"There are questions about this, but the [US Centre for Disease Control], the [World Health Organisation], they confirmed this as well."
Indonesia has reportedly prepared 100 hospitals, which previously handled cases of bird flu and other emerging infections, to handle cases of the coronavirus if it is indeed detected in the country.
