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Health workers prepare medical equipment for COVID-19 patients at the Special Hospital for Mothers and Children (RSKIA) Bandung of West Java on Thursday (6/3/2021). ANTARA FOTO/Raisan Al Farisi/foc. (ANTARA FOTO/RAISAN AL FARISI) - 

COVID-19 infection increases the risk of death in children who have comorbidities, according to a study conducted by Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Team (RSCM) Jakarta.

"Most of the pediatric patients who died (due to COVID-19) had comorbidities. Generally they have more than one comorbid. Most of them are patients with kidney failure, then pediatric patients who have malignant disease," said RSCM Team Principal Researcher, Rismala Dewi, in a written statement received here on Sunday.

The study was conducted in the period of March to October, 2020, by examining 490 pediatric patients who were treated for COVID-19.

The results of the study stated that 40 percent of pediatric COVID-19 patients with comorbidities had a fairly high risk of death.

The results of this study have been published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases entitled 'Mortality in children with positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test: Lessons learned from a tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia'.

In the meantime, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Cissy Kartasasmita, said the risk of children being infected and sick from COVID-19 was actually very low. "This is based on references to trusted medical journals available," said the pediatrician.

If children are infected with COVID-19, they will tend to show mild symptoms or asymptomatic.

However, it is possible that children can be infected with COVID-19 with moderately severe symptoms, and treated in intensive care rooms and even die from COVID-19.

"Usually it happens because they had other illnesses before, or had comorbidities or malnourished. The death rate in other countries is actually quite low, although the results of a study in Indonesia show a fairly high number," she said.

The statement refers to a medical journal entitled Children and Adolescents With SARS-CoV-2 Infection, which shows that children tend to be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms when they are infected with COVID-19.

The journal showed that out of the 203 pediatric patients who contracted COVID-19, 54.7 percent of them were asymptomatic, only 26.1 percent needed treatment due to COVD-19, and the most treated were infants under one year as many as 19.5 percent of the total cases.

She added that adults contributed significantly to the transmission of the virus to children, while the rate of transmission among children was moderate. The tendency for high transmission rates also depends on their age.

"Another medical journal from Mataram Regional General Hospital of West Nusa Tenggara entitled Characteristics and Outcomes of Children with COVID-19 in West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, stated that the fatality of COVID-19 cases in children occurred due to delayed treatment, the presence of other diseases, and difficult access to health services," she said.

Although data shows that cases of COVID-19 in children are usually asymptomatic, parents need to continue to take care of their children so that they do not contract COVID-19.

The transmission is feared to occur in children who already have comorbidities such as heart disease, kidney disease, tuberculosis, asthma, so that COVID-19 infection is feared to worsen the child's health condition.

The pediatrician also emphasized the importance of maintaining children's immune systems by meeting the needs of balanced nutritious food, drinking enough water, getting enough rest, exercising regularly and complete immunizations//ANT

Rio Waida won the allocation of a quota place for the Olympics' surfing after coming out as a runner-up at the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games in Miyazaki, Japan - 

Indonesia has added the number of its athletes who will compete in the Tokyo Olympics following the success of its surfer, Rio Waida declared qualified by the International Surfing Association (ISA) on Sunday.

Rio Waida won the allocation of a quota place for the Olympics' surfing after coming out as a runner-up at the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games in Miyazaki, Japan, according to ISA on its Instagram @isasurfing.

In the event, four male and female athletes who have the highest points from each continent, namely Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania are entitled to tickets to the Tokyo Olympics.

For the Asian zone, a place in the Tokyo Olympics was initially allocated for Japanese surfer, Shun Murakami.

However, Japan is certain that two of its athletes will pass at the 2021 ISA World Games in El Salvador which will be held on May 29-June 6 after Shun Murakami and his compatriot, Hiroto Ohhara, managed to advance to the final round of the championship which is the closing of the entire series of surfing qualifications leading to the Tokyo Olympics.

Hence, the slot obtained by Shun Murakami from the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games, is re-allocated for Rio Waida, who was the runner up of the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games.

Meanwhile, regarding the athlete quota, ISA has allocated 40 places - 20 for men and 20 for women, respectively in the Olympics. Each country can only send two representatives, respectively a male and a female, to the four-yearly sporting event.

Surfing is one of the debut sports at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will be held next July. Two medals for the male and female categories respectively will be competed.

The Tokyo Olympic Surfing will be organized at Shidashita Beach which is located about 64 km from Tokyo//ANT

BMKG, LIPI develop precursor system for earthquakes over 6.5 M - 

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) are jointly developing a precursor system to detect earthquakes having a magnitude above 6.5.

"Starting in 2021, a joint research is being carried out by BMKG and LIPI to study earthquake precursors, focusing on earthquakes that have the potential to cause damages,"  Rahmad Triyono, Head of the Center for Seismology, Potential Geophysical Engineering and Time Signs of BMKG,, said in a statement here on Sunday.

Triyono explained that the research is to upgrade precursors owned by BMKG and to make them better.

"Currently, the precursors developed by BMKG have not been able to properly or accurately detect earthquakes with a large magnitude or with strength of more than 6.5," he said.

However, although the existing system has not been able to accurately detect potentially destructive earthquakes, the precursors have a fairly good level of accuracy (between 60-70 percent) for earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 to 6.

The accuracy of earthquake precursors developed by BMKG using earth magnets work better, with an accuracy of 80-90 percent, when the earthquakes have magnitude of around or less than 5.

"The level of accuracy for identifying major earthquakes is still not good, but for earthquakes with a magnitude of around 5, it has started to increase," he noted.

Earthquake precursors using the Earth's magnetic method are still being developed, but the information has been limited to BMKG internal use, because most of the earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 were not damaging or not even felt by the public,hence BMKG continues to develop it.

"Hence, this precursor will be able to predict earthquakes with a magnitude above 6," he said.

"In addition, (BMKG and LIPI) will also develop the earthquake precursors by combining various methods to confirm the parameters of the earthquake precursors that have been developed, such as Seismic Vp/Vs, earthquake history, Radon, soil temperature, and TEC (Total Electron Content)," Triyono said//ANT

Indonesian and US marine soldiers exchanged knowledge on urban operations as well as technical and tactical skills during ‘Reconex 21-II’, a joint drill held in Situbondo district, East Java on Saturday. (HO-Dispen Kormar, Serma Mar Kuwadi) - 

Indonesian and US marine soldiers took part in a joint training exercise on conducting military operations on urban terrain in Situbondo district, East Java on Saturday.

The military drill, named ‘Reconex 21-II’, was centered at the Baluran Marine Corps Combat Training Centre, the training task force commandant, Lt.Col.Supriyono, informed.

During the joint exercise, the marine soldiers of the two countries exchanged knowledge on urban operations as well as technical and tactical skills, he said.

“Through the exercise, the skills of soldiers from amphibious reconnaissance units were strengthened in implementing small tactical units and urban combat," he added.

The marine troops received training in urban operation tactics, visual signals used in patrols, and handling technical assaults in cities and residential areas.

During the joint drill, Indonesian and US marine soldiers shared their own tactics and techniques for resolving problems arising from conflicts in residential areas, Supriyono said.

The training was aimed at improving the professionalism of the two countries' marine soldiers, who are skilled in ground, sea, and air battles, he added//ANT