High Death Toll In Bali, Malang, Yogya, And Solo, Luhut Asks Patients To Be Taken To Centralized Isolation Place

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: Doc. Kemenko Marves)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that several districts and cities that were previously classified as level 3 had to be raised back to level 4 because the number of deaths had increased significantly.

"Some areas that need special attention due to the high positivity rate and mortality rate are Bali, Malang Raya, Special Region of Yogyakarta, and Solo Raya. But this has been handled and we should see how things will get better", he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, August 2.

Furthermore, Luhut said the high number of deaths in the four areas was because there were still many residents who were undergoing self-isolation treatment at home. So it is too late to be anticipated by health workers when the situation worsens.

"As a result, it causes death because their oxygen saturation averages below 90", he said.

Asking COVID-19 patients to be treated in centralized isolation

Therefore, Luhut asked people who were exposed to COVID-19 to do centralized isolation, rather than self-isolation. This is to reduce the death rate due to COVID-19.

Luhut said the government was also pushing for the additional opening of centralized isolation in areas of special concern. Including, involving the participation of the National Armed Force and the National Police (TNI-Polri) and the local government to be actively involved by carrying out 3T namely testing (examination), tracing, and treatment.

"This testing and tracing must be carried out as much as possible so that we can ensure that we separate people who have COVID-19 from their families, then we can reduce the family cluster", he said.

In addition, Luhut also asked the local government to be involved in picking up people who are self-isolating so that undesirable conditions do not occur due to deteriorating health conditions.

"Regarding the high mortality rate, the government has carried out various interventions to reduce the death rate. For example, we formed a task force to pick up positive ones from home and take them to centralized isolation", he said.

He ensured that the centralized isolation facility was equipped with doctors, nurses, oxygen, medicines, and free patient consumption. In Java-Bali alone, the government has provided 49.000 beds for COVID-19 patients.

Furthermore, Luhut reminded that the delta variant of COVID-19 has a higher transmission rate than other variants. And, the impact is very fast on the decrease in oxygen saturation. Therefore, he said, it is very important for centralized isolation in every area, even at the village level.

"Centralized isolation at the village, sub-district, district/city level or at the provincial level is very important. Especially for patients who are at high risk or whose homes are pregnant women, parents, people with comorbidities", he explained.