TEMPO.CO, Palembang - A patient diagnosed with the new coronavirus or Covid-19 in Prabumulih, South Sumatra, was not buried under the disease protocol.

“[The patient is] a 78-year-old woman who died on May 12, 2020,” said the spokesman of the South Sumatra Covid-19 task force, Yusri, in Palembang, Friday, May 15.

The task force had just declared the elderly positive for the virus on Thursday, May 14, from her swab test result. She was identified as the 368th case and was believed to be a local transmission.

Previously, Prabumulih Mayor Ridho Yahya said the case was revealed following the rapid test at Fadhilah Hospital. As the test returned to be reactive, she was rushed to Prabumulih Regional Hospital for a swab test.

However, in the hospital, the patient’s family insisted on bringing her home given her good condition. The hospital’s workers failed to keep the woman, who was classified as a patient under monitoring or PDP.

Nine days later on May 12, the patient died and was buried in the Prabujaya burial site, East Prabumulih without adopting safety protocols. The local health community center or Puskemas’ recommendation was also neglected.

Meanwhile, Prabumulih Covid-19 task force had just received the swab test result declaring the patient to be positive for the virus late Wednesday, May 13. “The medical team has been tracking people who have contacts with the deceased and will hold rapid tests towards them,” Ridho said.

ANTARA