Epidemiologist: The Occupancy Of COVID-19 Patients In Hospitals Is Still Under Control

ILLUSTRATION OF DOK VOI

Epidemiologist from the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia (FKM-UI) Iwan Ariawan said the increase in the occupancy of hospitalization beds for COVID-19 patients at hospitals currently under control.

"Indeed, the Ministry of Health has stated an increase in hospital bed occupancy, but nationally it is around 8.1 percent, making the hospital still at a controlled level, far from the existing capacity," said Iwan Ariawan, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 5.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, COVID-19 referral hospitals in Indonesia currently allocate a total of 42,293 units of beds.

Meanwhile, the number of patients being treated until May 3, 2023 reached 2,696 people, consisting of 2,556 isolated patients and the rest filled with patients undergoing intensive care.

"The indicator is careful when the national hospital bed occupancy reaches 60 percent. If 80 percent is filled, it is already worrying," he said.

According to Iwan, the number of beds for treating COVID-19 patients is currently outside the government's policy of converting beds to follow up on worrying situations.

Iwan, who is also a member of the FKM-UI Survey Cerology Team (Serosurvey), said the composition of COVID-19 patients who are now filling the hospital is dominated by the elderly, people with comorbidities, and vaccinations that have not yet reached the booster.

"Next is the elderly without comorbidities, but the vaccination has not yet reached the booster. That is the most commonly admitted to the hospital," he said.

Iwan said the COVID-19 vaccination was proven to provide protection to the public from the risk of severe symptoms and even death.

"From the data on the analysis of COVID-19, it can be seen that vaccination reduces the risk of patient death. Although antibodies based on the National Serosurvey are relatively high, not all of the antibody uniforms," he said.

"The highest antibody occurs in people who have been vaccinated up to the booster," Iwan added.

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force reported that as of Thursday (4/5) afternoon there were 2,417 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia with the addition of 32 deaths.

A total of five COVID-19 referral hospitals were reported to have increased occupancy by more than 50 percent, namely Dr M Djamil Hospital, Dr Tadjuddin Chalid Hospital, Dr. Ario Wirawan Hospital, Prof. Dr. RD Kandou Hospital, and Dr. Cariadi Hospital.

Of the 22,666 COVID-19 patients who are currently being treated in hospital, 34.5 percent or the equivalent of 7,813 patients have not received the COVID-19 vaccination and are dominated by the elderly.