COVID-19 Cases Soar, Government Increases Bed Capacity By 40 Percent In Red Zones

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hatarto (Photo: Public Relations)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartato said the government would increase the capacity of COVID-19 special beds to 40 percent in all hospitals in red zone districts/cities.

The criteria for red zone areas or areas with a high risk of COVID-19 are those with isolation beds and COVID-19 ICU occupancy above 60 percent.

This was conveyed after a limited meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo at the Presidential Palace, Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta.

"This hospital facility has been increased to 40 percent, especially in regencies/cities with red zoning or BOR above 60 percent," Airlangga said in the Presidential Secretariat's Youtube show, Monday, June 14.

Airlangga said, the addition of special COVID-19 bed capacity was carried out to deal with the trend of increasing COVID-19 cases after the Lebaran holiday in 2021, the government continued to accelerate and intensify the handling efforts carried out.

There are a number of areas that have shown an increase in COVID-19 cases, such as in DKI Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java. Airlangga said COVID-19 patients could be referred to the nearest area.

"For cities that are red (zones) a referral hospital is provided in the nearest city, for example if Kudus, among others, to Semarang, if Bangkalan to the provincial capital, to Surabaya," said Airlangga.

In addition, the government has also increased the capacity of the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran COVID-19 Emergency Hospital (RSDC), which is currently running low.

“Previously, there were an additional 700 beds and this afternoon it was added again so that the capacity was increased. The number of patient beds is 7,937, plus 2,000 units. The number of (patients) isolated is 5,028, so there are still 2,909 beds left, so the BOR can be 63.34 percent," he explained.