The Salatiga administration in Central Java has reported its first COVID-19-related death of a health worker.

A nurse from Salatiga General Hospital died of the disease on Thursday, according to Salatiga Health Agency head Siti Zuraida.

Separately, Salatiga Mayor Yuliyanto said the hospital would operate as usual despite the death.

“We have already performed contact-tracing among the nurse’s coworkers, family members, as well as other people who had close contact with the deceased,” Yuliyanto said.

He also criticized the public for its lack of discipline following health protocols, adding that he still saw people walking around without a face mask.

“There has been a significant increase in COVID-19 patients in Salatiga. If we don’t prevent [more infections] by following health protocols, this city will soon fall in the red zone category.”

Read also: Medical association records 282 healthcare worker deaths due to COVID-19

On Thursday, the Health Ministry announced 6,033 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 598,933. The ministry’s data revealed that 165 more people have died of the disease, bringing the death toll to 18,336. 

The total number of recovered patients has also increased to 491,975. The ministry reported that 32,662 people were tested on Thursday, bringing the total number of people tested to 4.17 million.

The capital city also recorded 1,180 new confirmed cases, which brings its total tally to 149,018. Meanwhile, Central Java reported 998 new cases, West Java 960, East Java 796, South Sulawesi 219 and Central Kalimantan 205.

Last week, the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) revealed that 342 health workers, which comprise 192 doctors, 14 dentists and 136 nurses, had died while performing their duties as of Dec. 5. 

The association’s representative for advocacy and external relationship unit, Eka Mulyana, emphasized that the pandemic was real and deadly, and not a hoax as claimed by conspiracy theorists.

“We hope people will not jeopardize the lives of others [by believing in conspiracy theories],” Eka said as quoted by antaranews.com on Thursday.

Read also: Doctors association pleads for accessible health care for frontline medical workers

He also reminded other health workers to remain vigilant and stay safe, and implement strict protective measures to protect themselves. Indonesia’s health workers are currently wearing protective equipment with the highest protection level.

Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI) chairman Harif Fadhilah said that up to 75 percent of nurses who had died of COVID-19 were inpatient nurses who had likely caught the virus from patients who had yet to receive their swab test results.

The PPNI emphasized that health workers across the country were overwhelmed by the surge of COVID-19 cases, as well as the number of swab tests that needed to be done. 

The association urged the government to support health workers by improving health facilities and equipment, as well as providing routine check-ups for them. (dpk)

Editor’s note: This article is part of a public campaign by the COVID-19 task force to raise people’s awareness about the pandemic.