Due to Lack of Hospital Beds... 45 People Per Day Die in Isolation in Jakarta

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] In Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, which has been hit hard by the Delta variant virus, it has been reported that an average of 45 people die daily while in self-quarantine. Due to a shortage of hospital beds, many patients are unable to receive proper treatment and end up dying.

According to local media on the 13th, 'Lapor COVID19,' a COVID information platform created by Indonesian citizens, stated at a press conference the day before, "According to reports received by the Jakarta Health Department, an average of 45 self-quarantined patients die each day."

They added, "Through online reports and media analysis, we have confirmed that at least 451 patients have died from COVID-19 while in self-quarantine," and announced, "West Java Province has the highest number, and cases are also increasing in Kalimantan (Borneo) and Sumatra Island."

Ahmad Arif, co-founder of Lapor COVID19, expressed concern, saying, "The number of people reported to have died while quarantining at home is just the tip of the iceberg, so the actual number is much higher," and called it "a very serious problem."

Among the citizens who died during self-quarantine, many were unable to get tested in time and were only confirmed positive for COVID-19 after death.

Since last month, Indonesia has seen a surge in confirmed cases due to the spread of the India-origin Delta variant, causing hospital bed occupancy rates for COVID-19 patients in major cities like Jakarta to exceed 90%.

As patients overflowed even into hospital yards, health authorities expanded telemedicine systems, advising, "Mild patients with oxygen saturation above 95% should receive treatment at home."

However, poor self-quarantined patients are often unable to properly take medicine or meals and can only wait to recover naturally. Some avoid hospitals out of fear of the COVID-19 virus itself or deny that they have contracted COVID-19 and end up dying at home.

Lapor COVID19 urged, "It is necessary to manage self-quarantined patients to monitor if their condition rapidly worsens," and emphasized, "Above all, the government should increase the number of quarantine facilities so that patients can receive medical supervision."

Indonesia reported 40,427 new confirmed cases yesterday, bringing the total to over 2.56 million, and 891 new deaths, bringing the total to 67,355. However, it is estimated that the actual number of confirmed cases and deaths not included in the statistics is much higher.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.