TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of state and private hospitals across Indonesia are being kept in readiness for treating coronavirus, or COVID-19, patients, said Achmad Yurianto, the government’s spokesman for COVID-19 matters.

"In keeping with the president's directive, 109 TNI (Indonesian military) hospitals, 53 Polri (Indonesian police) hospitals, and 65 BUMN (state-owned company) hospitals have been prepared to receive COVID-19 patients," he said during a press conference with the COVID-19 Quick Handling Task Force. The press meet was held at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) office in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Several private hospitals, including RS Pertamina Jaya, will also help contain the spread of COVID-19, he added.

In fact, RS Pertamina Jaya has made all of its beds available for COVID-19 patients, he said.

The number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 in Indonesia rose to 172 as of Tuesday (March 17) evening.

"The total number has currently reached 172, while the death toll has remained unchanged at five," Yurianto said at the press conference .

Most of the new cases have been reported from Jakarta, followed by East Java, Central Java, and Riau Islands, he said.

"We realize that Jakarta is quite a large entry point. The mobility of its residents is also quite high. So, there is higher probability of people having close contact with those later tested positive for coronavirus," he said.

In general, COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at hospitals are getting better, he said adding, nine of them have recovered and will be allowed to return home.

Several patients are awaiting the second round of checkups to see whether they have completely recovered or not. Patients that have recovered can return home, he said.

"In the first round of checkups today and yesterday, they tested negative for (coronavirus). Now we are just observing an interval of two days to conduct another round of checkups. If the result is negative, then they would be discharged from hospital," he said.

The number of COVID-19 patients began to multiply significantly from Sunday (March 15), when the number of patients testing positive for the coronavirus touched 134, he said.

The number of patients increased by 12 to 146 on Monday (March 16), and rose further to 172 on Tuesday (March 17). However, the death toll remained unchanged at five until Tuesday.

ANTARA