Acting Asmat regent Triwarno Purnomo said the administration would only allow ships carrying staple supplies to enter Asmat during the restriction. Pelni ships carrying passengers are prohibited from entering, while air transportation is only available for emergencies. 

 

Besides access limitation, Asmat has applied a curfew, with business activities now only allowed to run between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time, while previously they were allowed until 9 p.m.

 

“We’ve also halted educational and religious activities, while limiting office hours to until 2 p.m. Moreover, only five people are allowed to be at each office site,” said Triwarno.

 

Kompas.id reported on Sunday that the eight people had mild symptoms and were under self-isolation in their respective homes.

 

According to the Asmat COVID-19 task force, the five infected people were health workers at Agats Regional General Hospital (RSUD) and a community health center (Puskesmas). As a result, the RSUD had to temporarily shut down its outpatient care unit.   

 

Previously, Asmat was a COVID-19 green zone. An area is considered a green zone when it is no longer recording any cases. With the latest development, Asmat, along with 20 other regencies and a city, is categorized as a red zone. 

 

According to the Asmat Health Agency, the regency has only 25 doctors stationed in 13 Puskesmas, out of the total 17 in the area. The regency has no pulmonologists. 

 

“We’re pushing for strict implementation of COVID-19 health protocols in the hospitals and all Puskesmas in order to protect our healthcare workers, who are very limited in number,” said Triwarno.

 

Asmat Health Agency head Richard Mirino said having the virus spreading in the area was a risky situation for the regency because of its limited health facilities and healthcare workers, as well as challenging geographic conditions and its residents’ low health awareness.

 

Richard referred to a measles outbreak in Asmat in 2018, which infected 670 children, 80 of whom died.

 

Papua COVID-19 task force head Welliam Manderi said the provincial administration would issue a circular ordering all parties to increase the implementation of health protocols at the entrance of each city and regency.

 

Welliam acknowledged that the number of confirmed cases on a daily basis was higher than the number of recovered cases over the past month. 

 

As of Monday, Papua had recorded a total of 8,239 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 4,438 recoveries and 117 deaths. (nkn)