COVID-19 Unstoppable In Jakarta, Grass Market Flats Become Isolation Locations Apart From Nagrak

Illustration of Rusunawa. (Photo: Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - The spike in COVID-19 cases in Jakarta continues. The government has added another controlled isolation location for confirmed COVID-19 patients, namely the Pasar Rumput Flats, South Jakarta.

"At the Grass Market we will increase the isolation capacity of about 3,000 (beds)," said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a virtual press conference broadcast on the Ministry of Health's Youtube, Friday, June 25.

Previously, the government set the Nagrak Flats, Cilincing, North Jakarta as the location for the isolation of COVID-19 patients. There are four towers prepared in the Nagrak Flat with a capacity of 4,000 beds.

One room in the Nagrak Flat can accommodate four patients. The management of the isolation place for the Nagrak Flats is under the control of the Jaya Regional Commander who is also the Pangkogaskabpadm, similar to the management of the Athlete House.

"Rusun Nagrak can be filled with about 4,000, but we will start with 2,000 (beds) first. So, there are 7000 additional isolation beds," he said.

Budi added that the provision of these two flats was carried out to support the provision of isolation for COVID-19 patients at the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital Wisma Atlet Kemayoran and Pademangan.

"We know that the Wisma Atlet, which previously had 5,994 beds, has been increased to the level of 7,000 (beds). However, because the confirmed cases continue to rise, it is getting full day by day. So we have added two new isolation places," he explained.

Then, the government plans to transfer COVID-19 patients with the category of people without symptoms (OTG) and mild symptoms who were previously at Wisma Atlet to the Nagrak Flats and Pasar Rumput.

"So the Wisma Atlet, whose facilities have existed for a longer time, we upgrade to also be able to handle those whose conditions are medium. Meanwhile, we will direct them to the hospital with severe conditions," said Budi.

Budi advised, people who are confirmed positive with mild symptoms and OTG can still self-isolate at home or centralized isolation in Nagrak Flats or Grass Market.

"Thus, we hope that the capacity of health services, whether for people without symptoms or people with mild to moderate symptoms, can be managed better," he concluded.