TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of attendees of Islamic mass gathering or tabligh in Kebon Jeruk Grand Mosque that contracted COVID-19 significantly jumped to 73 from initially 3.

They were now being treated at the coronavirus emergency hospital of Wisma Atlet Kemayoran in Central Jakarta.

"The patients are currently being hospitalized and isolated at the Wisma Atlet Hospital. This proves that the virus can attack anyone and no one is immune to COVID-19," said the hospital's official Brig. Gen. M Saleh Musthafa in a written statement on Tuesday, April 7.

Saleh explained that the patients came in gradually. The first group consisting of 3 people arrived at the hospital on March 26. They were tested positive for the virus after the West Jakarta Health Agency conducted rapid tests on the tabligh participants.

The day after, 39 pilgrims were rushed to the hospital for isolation as they made close contact with 3 positive patients. At that time, they were classified as people under monitoring (ODP).

On April 2, 31 participants consisting of 13 foreigners and 18 Indonesian citizens were taken to the hospital. Their test results came back positive and they were required to be isolated as soon as possible.

Due to this fact, Saleh then asked the public not to underestimate the virus pandemic. "Because no one knows when they will get infected," he added.

Previously reported, as many as 300 people had to undergo quarantine for 14 days at Kebon Jeruk Grand Mosque in West Jakarta on Thursday, March 26, after three attendees were discovered to have contracted COVID-19.

The three patients were members of the Tabligh Jamaat (JT) from North Sumatra and Aceh who had attended the Islamic grand gathering at Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque in Selangor, Malaysia, in February 27-March 1, 2020.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH