Jayapura, Jubi – Spokesperson for Papua COVID-19 Task Force Dr Silvanus Sumule confirmed that he recently received information that a COVID-19 patient in Mimika reportedly died after being treated for a week in a local hospital.
“My respectful friends, I regretfully announce that today, 3 April 2020, a COVID-19 patient passed away at 20.55 Papua time in a hospital in Mimika,” he told reporters via WhatsApp group of COVID-19 Papua Province.
He added that medical staffs had done their best, but it’s all on God’s hand. “Let’s stay together, defeating COVID-19. God is always with us,” he said.
Meanwhile, three patients under-surveillance in Jayapura City confirmed positive of having COVID-19 on Friday (3/4/2020). Therefore, with this fact, Dr Sumule revealed that the cumulative COVID-19 cases in Jayapura increase to 16 cases.
Furthermore, up to Friday, he said there are twelve new patients under-surveillance developing in Merauke (1), Boven Digul (3), Sarmi (2), Mimika (4) and Jayapura City (2). Meanwhile, nine former patients under-surveillance can go home after confirmed not being infected.
“From 45 patients under-surveillance, there are twelve new patients, while nine former patients already send home. We also advised them to do self-quarantine for 14 days since going home,” said Sumule.
By Friday, Papua has received at least 7,200 rapid test kits. Sumule said the COVID-19 Task Force had distributed 40 per cent of rapid test kits to medical staffs. “We expect those who already had the rapid test kits are ready to do their job immediately,” he said.
He also asked citizens in Papua to obey the government’s instruction of social distancing, and keep safety distance when communicating with each other. “Let me remind us that the frontline in dissolving the spread of COVID-19 is the community. Please comply with the protocols delivered by both medical and security officers,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, the national spokesperson for handling COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto said there are 196 new cases by Friday, which made the highest cumulative case in the COVID-19 history in Indonesia. “By Friday, there are new 196 positive cases after the result of the laboratory,” said Yurianto.
He also confirmed 22 patients reportedly recover from COVID-19. “Therefore, the total of recovered patients is 134 people. Meanwhile, the death toll has increased to 11 people, bringing the total to 18,” said Yurianto.
Furthermore, Yurianto said data collected by the Task Force for Handling COVID-19 had provided a clear picture that the coronavirus transmission would continue to occur in the community. Therefore, he urged everyone to strictly follow the government’s directives of social and physical distancing to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission.
“That picture shows the transmission is still taking place. Therefore, people should reconsider if they want to go out. The safest place at the moment is to stay at home with family. I suggest (citizens) to not travel referring to the daily data. The list of [these cases] is getting longer,” said Yurianto. (*)
Reporter: Roy Ratumakin
Editor: Pipit Maizier
