Minister Of Health Admits Death Of COVID-19 Patients In Emergency Room Faster: Previously 8 Days, Now 4 Days Dead

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the death rate of COVID-19 patients treated in the emergency department (IGD) in recent times is faster than before.

Budi admitted a few months ago, if a COVID-19 patient died in the ER, they died after being treated for 8 days. However, now the time of death is twice as fast.

"We observe that there is a difference from before. Death occurs if previously 8 days of treatment, now 4.8 days he has died. So it's faster," said Budi during a webinar discussion, Monday, August 2.

Then, before the surge in COVID-19 cases occurred, almost no COVID-19 patients died while being treated in the ER. On average, patients die while being treated in the ICU with worsening conditions.

"But in the last 3 months in the ER, the mortality rate is high, increasing with a high portion. This makes them why they spend less time in the hospital before dying," he said.

After being investigated, the cause of many corona virus patients who died in the ER was because their oxygen saturation had weakened when they were brought to the hospital.

Then many patients are late in getting medical intervention. Budi said that this is because many people feel they are embarrassed when they experience COVID-19. "So, it is better for them to remain silent and ask their family to take care of them," said Budi.

Therefore, Budi admitted that the Ministry of Health will conduct more aggressive socialization to the community so that they immediately go to the hospital for treatment when their condition starts to deteriorate or their oxygen saturation is below 94 percent.

It is known, the accumulation of death cases in July was the highest during the pandemic. During the month of July, more than 30 thousand deaths occurred in COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, deaths in June were 7,913 cases.