Misguided Narrative Lights For Athletes Home Full Of COVID-19 Patients

Photo of the lights on at Wisma Atlet Hospital (Source: Special)

JAKARTA - A photo showing the lights in all rooms of the Wisma Atlet RSD towers has gone viral. The news stated that the lights were on as a sign that the Wisma Atlet Hospital was full of COVID-19 patients. In fact, the narrative is heretical, aka hoax.

The narrative spreads on behalf of Sihong Hong's Facebook account. The account uploads a screenshot with the narrative: Beware of full signs of corona patients.

“Wisma Atlet Hospital has all the lights on. Leave the house less, if it's not really important. It's tense, ”the narrative wrote.

The Twitter account @EricHermansyah was also tweeted. The account reads: Hotel full booked / apartment full tenants? No, this is RSD Wisma Atlet Kemayoran whose room lights are on because it is all filled.

Hotel full booked / apartment full tenants? No, this is the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran Emergency Hospital whose room lights are on because it is all filled. pic.twitter.com/uAQHKAaH70

- USE A MASK! (@EricHermansyah) September 9, 2020

Heretical narrative

The heresy of the narrative was emphasized by the coordinator of RSD Wisma Atlet Kemayoran, Colonel Stefanus Dony. He stated that the lights at Wisma Atlet were a way for the manager to maintain the mental condition of the patients at Wisma Atlet Hospital and the wider community.

"Yes, it was on that night. We turn it on to provide a bright atmosphere. This is a hospital. When it's dark, people have a terrible impression. This gives them (the patient) a sense of calm. The goal is for that, ”said Stefanus, quoted by Kompastv, Friday, September 11.

Dony said that currently the Wisma Atlet Hospital is only 60 percent filled. "Not that it is full. So it is true that only about 60 percent of what I said earlier is that 60 percent is inhabited, "he explained.

The Joint Regional Defense Command I (Kogabwilhan I) as manager also explained why the lights were turned on. Head of Information for Kogabwilhan-I Colonel Marines Aris Mudian explained that the lights were turned on not because all towers were filled with COVID-19 patients, but as a form of readiness.

"Not (all of them are filled with COVID-19 patients). If the Wisma Atlet is prepared," said Aris to Detikcom, Thursday, September 10.

He also explained, of the seven towers in the Wisma Atlet Hospital, only two are currently being used to deal with COVID-19. One tower to handle COVID-19 patients and another tower for observation.

"The active ones for patients are in Tower 7. Tower 7 is for patients and Tower 6 is for observation," he explained.

Regarding capacity, Aris also explained that one tower at Wisma Atlet can accommodate 2,500 people. Meanwhile, currently there are 1,637 patients being treated at the Wisma Atlet Hospital. Of the 1,637 treated, 1,635 of them were COVID-19 positive patients. While the other two were suspect patients.

"For one tower, approximately 2,500 people are still accommodated," said Aris.

Since opening on March 23, 2020, Wisma Atlet Hospital has treated 14,265 patients related to COVID-19. Even so, those who recovered numbered 12,128 people. 270 were referred to another hospital, as well as five patients who died.