Suspected Coronavirus Patient in Batam Dies

TEMPO.CO, Batam - A foreign citizen suspected of being infected by the coronavirus or Covid-19 in BP Batam Hospital or RSBP, died on Monday, February 24, 2020. Riau Island Health Agency confirmed the patient identified as ALS (61 years old), died of another illness that was not Covid-19.

"The patient is tested negative for the virus," the Riau Island Agency Head Tjetjep Yudiana told Tempo on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

Tjetjep explained that the hospital had taken the sample to run an examination of the disease. "On February 24, the result comes out negative. This means he did not die of the virus," he underlined.

The symptoms of the China virus, he went on, are similar to that of other diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and asthma. "The symptoms are fever, shortness of breath, asthma, so it requires a laboratory check in the Health Ministry [laboratory center]," Tjetjep added.

According to him, the patient's body had been held in the hospital before the test result came back. "The cremation process of coronavirus patient is different from a normal dead body, so we follow the procedure, waiting for the lab result," Tjetjep said, adding that his office was coordinating with the hospital to conduct further procedures. 

According to him, several suspected coronavirus cases found in Batam, yet all was confirmed negative. "Alhamdulillah, this is because of our prayers," Tjetjep concluded.

YOGI EKA SAHPUTRA