Jakarta Sees Covid-19 Patient Overflow with 84% Isolation Beds Occupied

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Health Agency’s Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Unit, Dwi Oktavia, said 84 percent of the isolation beds for Covid-19 patients have been occupied.

The capital has a total of 8,524 isolation beds in 139 hospitals specially set for treating patients with coronavirus disease.

“84 percent of the total 8,524 isolation beds have been occupied now,” said Dwi in a written statement on Thursday, June 17.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for Covid patients has also increased. She added that 74 percent of the existing 1,186 beds have been filled.

The city administration will keep coordinating with the central government regarding the provision of controlled isolation centers. “Such as the use of sports halls (GOR) and low-cost flats (Rusun),” Dwi added.

The number of positive cases in the capital city has soared since June 9, 2021, after the Eid holiday. There were 1,000-2,000 new infections detected per day.

Yesterday, June 17, Jakarta recorded the second-highest daily hike in coronavirus infections with 4,144 cases. The highest daily hike was recorded on February 7, 2021, with 4,213 cases.

Jakarta Health Agency Head Widyastuti, meanwhile, said the city administration needs a strong basis to pull the Covid-19 emergency brake in a bid to maintain the economy while containing the pandemic.

In an online discussion broadcasted on the BNPB YouTube channel on Thursday, Widyastuti said the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) is still discussing the possibility to pull the brake and evaluating the enforcement of the Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) in the capital.

Read: Jakarta Adds 4,144 Covid-19 Cases; Deputy Gov Talks of Emergency Brake

LANI DIANA WIJAYA