Covid-19: A student from Ambeno tested "positive"

AMBENO (TOP) - The number of “positive Covid-19” patients in the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Kusi Ambeno, there are three people who are now isolated in isolation rooms, but there are some allegation that the test results from the laboratory have been politicized.

Joalandio Vasco Quefi is one of those who studied at a university in Indonesia who tested positive for Covid-19 after complying with a 13-day quarantine in Oe-Kusi Ambeno, Timor-Leste.

Joalandio stated that his health condition was very good, and there was no any single disease in his body, moreover Covid-19 did not exist at all.

He added, before arriving at Oe-Kusi Ambeno he had done a health test at a health clinic in Surabaya, Indonesia on December 10, 2020, and a second test in Kupang, NTT with the results showing negative or free from Covid-19, and also got a Covid-19 free certificate, but after a 13-day quarantine at Oe-Kusi Ambeno was declared positive for Covid-19.

“I came from Indonesia alone. My eyes were a little disturbed so I asked a friend from outside to help me during the quarantine process, and when I was about to leave, the police and the Covid-19 team immediately arrested me and my friend that we were positive for Covid-19, "Joalandio explained via cell phone to The Oe-Kusi Post, Monday, December 28, 2020.

Those who doubted and suspected that the laboratory test results had been politicized were the Joalandio’s family and several Catholic priests in Oe-Kusi Ambeno.

The mass sermon at the Christmas party on 24 December was a little bit spicy because almost all Catholic priests in this enclave did not agree with the government's decision to prohibit people from attending Christmas and New Year Masses, but the Timor Espiscopal Conference has decided to prohibit people from attending church in December 31, 2020 to January 1, 2021.

"My son did a test since he was in Surabaya and when he arrived in Kupang, he also did another test which showed negative results so that the officers in NTT allowed them to come here, not like the liars here. If you want to eat Covid-19 money, go ahead, but don't lie that my child is positive for Covid-19, "Bernadete Nese as Joalandio's biological mother explained to TOP at his residence in Palaban, Oe-Kusi Ambeno, Monday, December 28, 2020.

"My heart ached when he had complied with quarantine and finally tested positive for Covid-19, God is one, they can use my child's name to commit lies here in Oe-Kusi Ambeno, and humiliate us".

Bernadete Nese. TOP/Abilio Elo Nini.

Bernadeta explained that when her son arrived in Kefamenanu he called them to pick him up at the border area in Oe-Silo.

"We picked him up at the border, until here many family members met him. If he was positive for Covid-19, currently Oe-Kusi Ambeno is full of the coronavirus and there may also be many deaths. The fact shows that we who went to pick him up at the border to this day have not felt sick or died because of Covid-19, ”Bernadeta suspects that the laboratory test results have been politicized by the local government officials in Oe-Kusi Ambeno.

Meanwhile, the President of the Authority for the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Kusi Ambeno Arsenio Paixão Bano denied the accusations from various parties such as those from the Catholic priests and Joalandio's family.

The President of the Authority for the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Kusi Ambeno Arsenio Paixão Bano. TOP/Abilio Elo Nini.

“Which family does not believe that is their business, the matter of authority is the technical affairs of the national laboratory and Oe-Kusi Ambeno determines what is positive or negative, ”Bano explained through a press conference at Oe-Kusi Ambeno, Monday, December 28, 2020.

"If his family doesn't believe it, but Joalandio must comply with the laboratory test results, that's all. We are not politicizing this disease, Oe-Kusi Ambeno is not politicizing this disease, ”Bano explained and denied the allegations.

Bano explained, the laboratory test results do not know you are a priest or not.

The three people are still in isolation detention, but TOP observed some information spread on social media platforms such as Facebook that they had left the isolation room, but the fact shows they are still being held in isolation.