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84 health workers, including two pregnant women, test positive for COVID-19 in Jakarta
Among the health workers with COVID-19, two were pregnant women, said the Jakarta Health Agency’s head of disease control and prevention, Dwi Oktavia Handayani.
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A man wearing a face mask stands in front of a flower board, which bears a message of support for staff of Sulianti Saroso Infection Diseases Hospital in Jakarta on March 21. (Antara/Aditya Pradana Putra)
T
he Jakarta administration has reported that 84 medical staff, who work in 30 hospitals and one clinic across the capital, tested positive for the coronavirus amid a nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment.
Among the health workers with COVID-19, two workers were pregnant women, said the Jakarta Health Agency’s head of disease control and prevention division, Dwi Oktavia Handayani.
A health worker and two doctors, who lived in Jakarta but worked at hospitals outside the capital, died of the contagious disease.
Some health workers handling COVID-19 patients were at increased risk as they had to use raincoats instead of coveralls as a result of short supplies of protective equipment.
Read also: Two hospital directors die of COVID-19 as Indonesian doctors call for transparency
“We still need some help in terms of, among other things, personal protective equipment, masks, gloves, disinfectant and daily needs,” Dwi told reporters during a press briefing at City Hall on Wednesday.
Both the private sector and the public are joining hands to support health workers’ needs in handling the outbreak. Clothing retailer and manufacturer Uniqlo Indonesia recently donated 350 pairs of underwear for female health workers and 160 pairs for male health workers, according to Dwi.
Food equipment manufacturer TFI Foods donated 4,000 pairs of gloves and food and beverage conglomerate Nestlé Indonesia donated 2,100 cartons of milk.
The public offered their help by donating 120 liters of disinfectant, 200 alcohol swabs, 10 liters of hand sanitizer and 500 pairs of gloves.
Read also: COVID-19: Inadequate medical supplies take toll on lives of Indonesian medical workers
"The Jakarta administration appreciates and is grateful to all parties who have offered to help in handling COVID-19," said Dwi.
Jakarta hospitals have been reporting short supplies of such goods as the recent wave of COVID-19 cases shows no signs of slowing down.
As of Wednesday, Jakarta had recorded 808 confirmed cases, nearly half of the country’s number of confirmed cases. Of them, 85 people had died of the disease while only 50 people had recovered.
To detect the spread of the coronavirus, the administration is holding rapid testing across the province. Of the total 18,077 people tested, there had been 299 positive results as of Wednesday.
