100 Indonesian Doctors Die from COVID-19... Additional Cases Confirmed in Korean Community

Published 31 Aug.2020 18:42(KST)

On this day, 2,743 new COVID-19 cases confirmed
Cumulative confirmed cases 174,796
Cumulative deaths 7,417

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] In Indonesia, at least 100 doctors have died from COVID-19 six months after the first case of the novel coronavirus infection was reported. As COVID-19 spreads, additional confirmed cases among Korean expatriates and residents have also been reported.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Over 100 Doctors Dead Due to COVID-19

On the 31st, the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) announced via Twitter that "the number of doctors who have died fighting on the front lines against the COVID-19 virus has reached 100," adding that "the number of deaths among other medical workers such as nurses has also increased." Indonesian medical staff faced difficulties early in the COVID-19 crisis, having to wear raincoats instead of protective suits while treating patients.

According to 'Pandemic Talks,' an information-sharing platform created by doctors and citizens who questioned the Indonesian government's official COVID-19 statistics, 59.3% of doctors who died from COVID-19 were elderly, but 40.7% were under 50 years old. Muhammad Kamil, head of Pandemic Talks, told CNN Indonesia and others, "Only 12% of the doctors who died were specialists in internal medicine, pulmonology, anesthesiology, or other fields directly related to COVID-19," and "65% of the deceased doctors worked on Java Island."

According to the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS), as of last year, there are a total of 81,011 doctors in Indonesia, with about 11,000 concentrated in the capital Jakarta and about 1,800 in East Java.

Additional Confirmed Cases Among Korean Community in Jakarta

In the capital Jakarta, additional confirmed cases have been reported among Korean expatriates and residents. According to the Korean Embassy in Indonesia, a Korean man in his 40s, Mr. A, a representative of company M residing in South Jakarta, tested positive for COVID-19 on the 27th, and a Korean man in his 50s, Mr. B, affiliated with Korean conglomerate K, tested positive on the 28th.

On the 30th, two Korean expatriates, Mr. C and Mr. D, who had dinner with Mr. A at a Korean restaurant on the evening of the 19th, were confirmed positive. Subsequently, on the same day, Mr. A’s wife tested positive, while his son tested negative.

Due to a shortage of hospital beds, Indonesia does not hospitalize patients with mild symptoms but treats them at home. All five Korean confirmed cases in Jakarta are currently receiving treatment at home, with medication delivered from Korean hospitals while under self-quarantine. The Korean confirmed patients voluntarily disclosed their movement paths through the Korean Association, and Korean restaurants and marts they visited temporarily suspended operations one after another.

Regarding the LG Electronics factory and office in Cibitung, West Java Province, about 240 local infections have been confirmed. However, LG Electronics stated that "we cannot identify Korean confirmed cases related to partner companies or construction contractors," which has caused significant dissatisfaction among the Korean community.

LG Electronics is currently transferring part of its TV production line from Gumi, Korea, to the Cibitung factory. At the time of the COVID-19 cluster outbreak, many employees from LG Electronics and its partner companies were on business trips to Indonesia.

One Korean confirmed case from Indonesia announced by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 27th was identified as an employee of an interior company living in Bekasi related to LG Electronics construction. Additionally, three Korean confirmed cases announced on the 28th were executives and family members of subcontractors involved in LG Electronics expansion construction.