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COVID-19 patients line up at Kemayoran athletes village on first day open

At least 30 patients immediately rushed to the temporary hospital an hour after it officially opened on Monday afternoon.

Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, March 25, 2020

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COVID-19 patients line up at Kemayoran athletes village on first day open Medical staff check the equipment in the ICU room of the temporary COVID-19 hospital at Kemayoran Atlet Hospital, Jakarta, Monday, March 23, 2020. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who has conducted a review of this facility, ensures that it is ready to be used for quarantine and treatment of COVID-19 patients. The athletes village has a capacity of 24,000 people, but so far has been prepared for 3,000 patients. (Kompas/Pool/Heru Sri Kumoro)

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ozens of patients put under surveillance for COVID-19 crowded the emergency hospital at the Kemayoran athletes village in Central Jakarta after it opened on Monday.

At least 30 patients immediately rushed to the temporary hospital an hour after it officially opened on Monday afternoon, said Arya Sinulingga, an aide to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir.

Kompas TV reported that some patients were still lining up outside the hospital on Monday evening.

“Please understand that the test takes time. There’s no way we can simultaneously test 100 people because the equipment is limited,” Arya said on Tuesday.

The ministry prepared two health facilities dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients, namely the Kemayoran athletes village as a temporary hospital and Pertamina Jaya Hospital, also in Central Jakarta, which has been assigned to treat patients with acute symptoms that require intensive care.

Read also: COVID-19: Ministry to develop temporary hospitals in several regions

However, not all confirmed COVID-19 positive cases would be treated in the hospitals, Arya added, as the ministry had prepared scenarios regarding the use of healthcare facilities for those patients.

“People who test positive but show no symptoms of the disease can self-isolate. Those in a severe condition can be treated at [either] the athletes village or Pertamina Hospital,” said Arya.

He went on to say this scenario would make better sense as studies predicted that the number of patients could reach up to 8,000, while medical personnel and facilities were limited.

However, patients without symptoms could also be hospitalized if the person’s place of living was inadequate as a location for self-quarantine.

During the 2018 Asian Games, the Kemayoran athletes village was able to house 24,000 people. However, Jokowi said the complex would be able to handle about 3,000 patients as of now.

“People tend to see this facility as an alternative location that will provide treatment for COVID-19 patients. This urges them to go there [to be checked],” Jokowi said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

“However, I hope few people will be taken to this temporary hospital,” the President went on to say.

Read also: Readiness of Greater Jakarta hospitals key in mitigating spread of COVID-19

The Health Ministry’s disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, asserted that the temporary hospital would not be used for people with minor or no symptoms, which is about 80 percent of all COVID-19 positive cases in the country.

“Self-isolation by staying at home is enough. Not all people with the disease should depend on hospital services. [People without symptoms should not depend on hospitals] unless there is a comorbidity issue,” said Yurianto, who also serves as the government spokesperson for all COVID-19-related matters.

As of Tuesday, the emergency hospital had received a total of 102 visits of COVID-19 patients. Of the total number, 71 were immediately hospitalized in the athletes village complex.

Indonesian health authorities have confirmed 686 COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, with 55 fatalities and 30 recoveries. The cases are spread across 24 provinces, with most cases in Jakarta, where 424 cases and 31 deaths have been confirmed.

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