Jakarta and five other provinces in Java are the regions with the highest weekly increase in Covid-19 positive cases nationally. Health facilities are in danger of collapsing if there is no immediate intervention.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO
A number of elderly people wait for their turn to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in a mobile vaccination service in Surakarta City, Central Java, Tuesday (15/6/2021).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Health facilities in Indonesia are in danger of collapsing due to the continuous flow of Covid-19 patients. Tighter social restrictions need to be put in place to deal with the current surge in Covid-19 cases.
“Doctors have suggested a lockdown. It is time for this to be imposed, at least twice [each for] 14 days," said chairperson of the Association of Public Health Experts, Ede Surya Darmawan, in Jakarta, Tuesday (15/6/2021).
Based on data from the Health Ministry, the occupancy rate of intensive beds at hospitals continues to increase and has reached 50 percent. Meanwhile, the bed occupancy in isolation wards reached 54 percent as of Monday (14/6). At Wisma Atlet Kemayoran (Covid-19 emergency hospital) in Jakarta, the number of positive Covid-19 patients being treated as of Tuesday reached 5,453 people or 83.8 percent of their capacity. In fact, the safe limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) is 60 percent for the occupancy of health facilities.
"Based on the increasing number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, I feel that Indonesia needs a new term to replace the micro PPKM [limited social restrictions]. I just recommend a lockdown so that monitoring is stricter and more serious—even though the content of the policy is not much different from the PPKM," Zubairi Zoerban, chairman of the Covid-19 task force at the Indonesian Doctors Association, posted on Twitter.
Director of Prevention and Control of Directly Infectious Diseases at the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said that micro PPKM was extended until 28 June.
I feel that Indonesia needs a new term to replace the micro PPKM [limited social restrictions].
Spokesman for the Covid-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, stated that Jakarta had become the province with the highest weekly increase in cases, namely 7,132 cases. Five other provinces in Java experienced the same thing, namely Central Java, West Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Banten.
Kompas
Active Covid-19 Cases in Indonesia
Promote vaccination
Yesterday, President Joko Widodo summoned the Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan, speaker of the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD), Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, commander of the Jakarta Regional Military Command, Maj. Gen. Mulyo Aji, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Fadil Imran and all mayors as well as municipality police chiefs at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
One of the efforts mandated by the meeting was to reduce the rate of transmission of Covid-19 in the capital city by promoting vaccination, especially in densely populated areas. Public awareness of implementing health protocols must also be improved.
The percentage of Jakarta residents who wear face masks is only 78 percent and has been pushed to 95 percent. "As of 14 June 2021, in Jakarta there are 19,096 active cases, an increase of 9,000 cases. In the past few days, there has been an additional 2,000-2,700 cases with a positivity rate [percentage of positive cases from the total test results] of 17.9 percent," said head of the Jakarta Health Office, Widyastuti.
The Field Coordinator of the Covid-19 Emergency Hospital (RSDC) of Wisma Athlet Kemayoran, Navy Lt. Col. M Arifin, proposed large-scale social restrictions this 1-2 weeks until cases flattened. The policy was carried out in Jakarta last year.
Currently, Wisma Atlet will open tower 8 to increase its capacity. Previously, towers 4, 5, 6, and 7 have been used with a capacity of about 5,000 people.
Anies Baswedan promised to strengthen synergies and collaboration with all regional leaders and all elements of society in order to prevent Jakarta from falling into critical phase.
BPMI SEKRETARIAT WAPRES
Vice President Ma\'ruf Amin (in white) observes the implementation of mass vaccination at the Alam Sutera Sports Center, Tangerang City, Tuesday (15/6/2021).
No long holidays
The condition in Jakarta’s satellite cities Bodetabek is also increasingly critical. The positivity rate in Bogor City, West Java, this week rose 15.7 percent compared to last week.
Greater Bandung, Bandung City, Cimahi and Sumedang regency are increasingly critical. In mid-May, the occupancy of Covid-19 hospitals in the area was still 41 percent, but now it\'s 84.19 percent. "In Bandung Raya, we declare the area under alert status for Covid-19. All of Greater Bandung was instructed to carry out 75 percent WFH [work from home]. Tourists are advised not to visit Greater Bandung. We recommend the central government that there is no extended holiday [including during Idul Adha]," said West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil in Bandung City.
In Semarang, Central Java, a number of hospitals continue to receive Covid-19 patients, both from within and outside the city, such as at the KRMT Wongsonegoro Hospital and Dr Kariadi Hospital.
The Director of Medical, Nursing, and Supporting Services at RSUP Dr Kariadi Hospital, Agoes Oerip Poerwoko, said that from the ideal occupancy of 30 beds in the emergency room, currently it is up to 80 beds per day. The number of Covid-19 patients treated in isolation rooms has also quadrupled compared to May 2021.
Outside Java, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 also increased. The Governor of North Sumatra, Edy Rahmayadi and the Governor of South Sumatra, Herman Deru, agree with the decision to extend the micro PPKM.
In South Sulawesi, even though there is no longer a red zone or a high risk of transmission, the conditions may not be good, especially if the decline in cases is due to a lack of specimen tests. Similar conditions are faced by other regions with the same situation.
Vice President Ma\'ruf Amin, yesterday, monitored mass vaccinations at the Alam Sutera Sports Center, Tangerang City, Banten. "I ask the public to welcome the invitation to get vaccination with enthusiasm," he said.
Head of the Infection Working Group of the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association, Erlina Burhan, when contacted in Jakarta, said that Ivermectin has indeed been used to treat some Covid-19 patients. The dose given is according to the patient\'s condition.
"However, it must be ensured through clinical trials first because this drug is actually for helminthiasis," he said. (AIK/WKM/INA/HLN/GIO/ DIT/XTI/JAL/REN/TAM/
/https%3A%2F%2Fkompas.id%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2F3b25d7d4-8537-4d62-ad31-e9821ce4f7d5_jpg.jpg){kind=logo}
