REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- Three patients in Pekanbaru City are tested negative for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus and are now allowed to check out of the hospital, doctor said.
"All of the three patients are tested negative for the virus and are now allowed to go home," Chairman of the team of doctors who handled MERS-CoV suspected cases, Azizman Saad said here on Sunday.
The three patients were previously suspected to have contracted the MERS-CoV disease but the results of the laboratory tests on their swap and blood showed their. negative for the virus.
He said that the conditions of the patients were also normal after they had previously been treated at an isolated ward of the hospital.
"All patients have checked out. We feel relief that they are all free from the MERS virus infection," Azizman said.
Earlier, according to the Health Service of Riau Province, three people with the initials AT (42), Z (65), and MS (48) were suspected to have contracted the MERS-CoV infection.
The three were given special medical treatment in isolated rooms, Head of the provincial health service Zainal Arifin reported here on Wednesday.
The condition of AT, who was admitted to the Awal Bros Hospital, has improved and he can be discharged from the hospital on Thursday.
The patients were reportedly admitted to the hospital upon returning from hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. They had complaints with symptoms similar to those of MERS such as high fever, colds, coughs and difficulties in breathing.
In the meantime, Indonesia's health minister, Nafsiah Mboi, said on Friday the country remained free of the MERS virus, which has now spread to 15 countries.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV), which first emerged in Jedda, Saudi Arabia and then spread to Mecca, Madina and since then to 15 countries.
She said tests on 47 people in a number of regions in Sumatra, Java and Bali who were suspected to have been infected by the deadly virus sere MERS suspects have all been found negative.
The minister said Indonesia is still safe from the virus, but "we are now waiting for the results of tests on latest patients in Medan and Riau, and hope they are all negative."
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