REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PALANGKARAYA -- Palangkaraya Health Department chief Tiur Simatupang said the three suspected patients of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) disease are likely to be negative.
"There were three suspected patients, who were hospitalized in the last week. They are currently still being treated in the isolation room," Tiur stated here on Tuesday.
The doctors' monitoring data showed that the patients' body temperatures have decreased from 38 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius, so there is a large possibility that these patients are not suffering from the MERS disease.
The health department office is currently coordinating with the local hospitals for any MERS-CoV virus threat among its citizens.
For medical safety reasons, the three suspected patients still need to be isolated and must wear masks all the time. Relatives are still temporarily banned from visiting the patients, until the Health Ministry declared that they are negative of the virus.
Tiur also told the patients' families and relatives that the disease had claimed more than a hundred lives globally.
"We have taken the saliva sample of the three suspected patients to be sent to the Health Ministry's laboratory in Jakarta. We will have to wait for five days for the results," Tiur said.
The Palangkaraya Health Department is also working with hospitals and airports to constantly monitor any recent Umra pilgrims arriving from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The MERS virus characteristics and symptoms that manifest in humans are similar to the common flu, which makes it difficult to detect the disease unless patients undergo a detailed and an intensive medical examination.
The MERS corona virus produce specific symptoms, such as shortness of breath, high fever of more than 38 degrees Celsius, cough, pneumonia, kidney failure and pain in the chest .
This virus will attack patients who have low immunity, such as the elderly, people with low body immunity, children and people who travel often.
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