How Mayor Bobby Moves Quickly To Anticipate The Spike Of COVID-19 In Medan

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution (Photo: @bobbynst)

JAKARTA - Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution moved quickly to find a place for isolation for COVID-19 patients. This is done as a measure to anticipate the surge in COVID-19 cases in Medan. This time Bobby visited Deli Tobacco Hospital.

"Today's Deli Tobacco Hospital review aims to look for options if there is a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases", said Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution as quoted by the Medan City Government, Sunday, July 18.

According to Bobby Nasution, apart from looking for a place of isolation, the thing that is more focused is the application that is included in the 3T, namely the treatment. This means that it can also be used as an emergency hospital with a moderate level of treatment.

"We continue to search for alternative places whose buildings only have one or two floors. This is to facilitate the handling of COVID-19 patients. Like the Deli Tobacco Hospital, if permitted by the Ministry of SOEs, then to build this emergency hospital, the Medan City Government will collaborate and coordinate with the Central Government, in particular, the Ministry of Public Works and Human Settlements (PUPR) and the Ministry of Health", explained Bobby Nasution.

Bobby explained that currently the Soechi Hotel has been designated as an isolation place, it is estimated that in the next two weeks this place can be operated as an isolation place.

Bobby Nasution added that the search for options to be used as alternatives must be carried out quickly because the delta variant COVID-19 has already entered North Sumatra and it is known that there are crew members who are infected. Even though those exposed were not residents of the city of Medan, the spread of the delta variant of COVID-19 was very fast.

"Therefore, to anticipate the rapid spread, the handling must also be faster, one of which is looking for an option for isolation or an emergency hospital which is being carried out today. But we hope that this alternative place, even though it is ready, should not be used", said Bobby Nasution

Furthermore, Bobby Nasution also explained that the COVID-19 case in Medan City was still quite under control. Where based on data, in the last two days the bed occupancy rate (BOR) of Medan City has increased by 63 percent. This increase is not significant compared to the previous week.

Bobby Nasution added that the Medan City Government has encouraged 41 referral hospitals to follow the BOR rule, which must be above 30 percent of the number of beds.

"Until now, the number of BOR availability in each hospital is still 24-26 percent, meaning that it is still below 30 percent. If you follow the rules at the hospital, there is still capacity. For that, we have issued a circular so that hospitals, Follow the rules to provide 30 percent special beds for COVID-19 patients. Because of the total 8.000 beds in all hospitals, there are only around 2.000 beds specifically for COVID-19 patients", explained Bobby Nasution.

Bobby Nasution also explained the development of COVID-19 cases in Medan City, apart from BOR, it can also be seen from other indicators, namely the Fatality rate and recovery rate. Where the recovery rate, last week, fell 2 percent. "This will continue to be optimized by means of treatment to increase the recovery rate. Previously, it dropped from 90.01 to 88. However, the fatality rate was 3.4 percent. Hopefully, it will not increase", Bobby Nasution hoped.