Positive COVID-19, One Doctor In Malang Dies

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - A doctor in Malang, East Java, Dr. dr. Siswanto Msc, was reported dead. He died after testing positive for a new strain of COVID-19.

Head of Public Relations of the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Saiful Anwar Malang, Donny Iryan, said that the deceased was a non-organic doctor at the Saiful Anwar Malang Hospital. He died at the age of 78, after undergoing intensive care in an isolation room.

"He died around early this morning at the age of 77-78 years. It is known that he was confirmed positive for COVID-19," Saidul told reporters in Malang, as reported by Antara , Monday, October 19.

The death of Dr. Siswanto added to the row of doctors in the Greater Malang area who died from positive COVID-19. To date, a total of six doctors have died with a positive COVID-19 confirmation status.

His party did not know the chronology of how the deceased was positive for COVID-19. However, the deceased had a private practice place in Kepanjen, Malang Regency, East Java.

However, he could not confirm whether the deceased was exposed to COVID-19 while serving patients in his private practice in Kepanjen. The tracking was carried out by the Malang City COVID-19 Handling Task Force and not the hospital.

"Most likely it (infected) from there. But we can't be sure. It must be from the Malang City COVID-19 Task Force tracing team," said Donny.

The deceased was a member of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Malang Raya and a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya (FKUB) in collaboration with the Saiful Anwar Malang Hospital.

"He is a teaching staff at FK UB, but not an organic from RSSA. He also has all doctor's children, one of which is the task here (RSSA)," added Donny.

Until now, the number of positive patients with the corona virus in Malang is 1,937 people. Of the total, 191 people were reported dead, 1,702 people were declared cured, and the rest were under treatment.