Case Surge Expands Beyond Java

ARSIP DINKES BANJARMASIN

Covid-19 vaccines produced by Chinese company Sinovac arrive in Banjarmasin city, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday (12/1/2021). In the first phase, the Banjarmasin City Health Office received 13,480 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The surge in Covid-19 cases in Indonesia is growing increasingly worrying, because it has expanded beyond the island of Java to other regions. More cases mean more patients needing hospitalization and treatment and a greater burden on health workers and the health system, amid increased risk of deaths from the disease.

A World Health Organization (WHO) report released on Wednesday (14/7/2021) showed that over the past week, the nation saw an average increase in cases of 44 percent and an average increase of 69 percent in deaths. A total of 15 provinces experienced increase of 50 percent or more in the number of infections.

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In fact, five provinces saw increases of more than 100 percent: West Nusa Tenggara (200 percent), Gorontalo (194 percent), Maluku (169 percent), North Sulawesi (139 percent) and North Kalimantan (107 percent).

These deaths generally occurred en route to a hospital or in self-isolation, after they were unable to get a hospital bed due to full capacity.

Data from independent tracking site LaporCOVID-19 shows that the fatality rate among unhospitalized people with Covid-19 had also increased to 621 cases. These deaths generally occurred en route to a hospital or in self-isolation, after they were unable to get a hospital bed due to full capacity.

Operational Support Command Post commander Pristawan of the Yogyakarta Covid-19 Task Force said that deaths among self-isolating patients in the area had increased dramatically this month. "Because the hospitals are full, there are more and more self-isolating patients. Community health centers (Puskesmas), the closest health facility to the public, have no choice. In the end, all patients, whatever their condition, are advised to self-isolate,” he said.

KOMPAS/SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS

President Joko Widodo monitors the implementation of mass vaccination in the courtyard of the Southeast Sulawesi Governor\'s office, in Kendari, on Wednesday (30/6/2021).

Regarding the oxygen crisis experienced by a number of hospitals, the central government has been urged to step in to ensure ample supplies of oxygen for treating Covid-19 patients. This was due to the fact that, despite the emergency situation, contractual issues exist between vendors and hospitals in oxygen distribution.

One example involves Bhina Bhakti Husada Hospital in Rembang, Central Java, which has run out of oxygen for its centralized system. When the hospital asked for help from a gas supplier, the company could only provide five oxygen cylinders with a capacity of 6 cubic meters because it did not have a distribution agreement with the hospital.

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In another case, a vendor reclaimed their oxygen cylinders from PKU Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Hospital when the hospital refilled the cylinders with oxygen provided by another vendor to save their patients. This occurred because the hospital’s regular oxygen vendors could not supply the life-saving gas.

“In an emergency, the hospital has no choice but to [try and] save the patient, because the consequences can be fatal if they run out of oxygen. As a consequence, the hospital [ends up] violating their agreement with their usual vendors," said Aldila S. Al Arfah. the deputy chairman of the Muhammadiyah Covid-19 Command Center.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Residents pass in front of a shopping center that is temporarily closed due to emergency PPKM on Jalan Magelang, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, on Sunday (4/7/2021).

Meanwhile, the Yogyakarta municipal administration, as well as the Surabaya administration, has set up a number of field hospitals with a capacity of around 800 beds for Covid-19 patients. (AIK/HRS/NCA/NSA/BRO/ETA)

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko).