Update: President Joko Widodo is set to undergo a swab test this afternoon, but the Presidential Palace said that it’s part of his routine medical check up.
Solo Deputy Mayor Achmad Purnomo has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to reports, following a recent meeting with President Joko Widodo.
The deputy mayor reportedly met with the president last Thursday as the pair discussed the mayoral election in the Central Java city, which is set to be held in December.
Achmad underwent his first PCR swab test on Friday and a follow up test on Saturday.
“The first one was negative, but the second one leaned towards positive. I don’t want to say too much, the Health Agency will have more,” Achmad told CNN Indonesia via the phone today.
Solo Mayor FX Hadi Rudyatmo confirmed that his second-in-command has tested positive and that he’s self-isolating at home as he’s showing no symptoms. The mayor and other officials who may have come in close contact with Achmad recently are also set to undergo tests.
Previously, Achmad himself confirmed that he met with Jokowi on Thursday. Both are members of the ruling party PDI-P, which officially nominated Jokowi’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming, to run for the mayor of Solo. Jokowi was famously mayor of the city from 2005 before ascending to the Jakarta gubernatorial role in 2012 and the presidency in 2014.
Achmad and Jokowi’s meeting is believed to have been related to the former’s wish to receive PDI-P’s nomination to run for mayor before Gibran was eventually selected.
The Presidential Palace has yet to confirm Achmad and Jokowi’s meeting last week in light of the news, and has yet to give a statement on the matter.
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