Almost the vast majority of hospitals, particularly those equipped with ventilators, are fullBekasi, W Java (ANTARA) - Several private referral hospitals in Jakarta's eastern outskirts of Bekasi are facing a shortage of self-isolation rooms equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (hepa) filters and ventilators for treating COVID-19 patients.
"As per data, there are about 490 COVID-19 patients (currently), but the figure is continuing to (increase). (There are patients with) mild and serious symptoms. Almost the vast majority of hospitals, particularly those equipped with ventilators, are full. (This means) that (the hospitals in) Bekasi city can no longer accommodate new patients with serious symptoms," chief of the Indonesian Private Hospitals Association (ARSSI), Bekasi city chapter, Eko Nugroho, said on Tuesday.
Hospitals currently have three types of isolation rooms — negative pressure rooms with ventilators, negative pressure rooms without ventilators, and ordinary rooms.
Most of the available rooms are meant for COVID-19 patients exhibiting mild symptoms, while the number of negative pressure rooms equipped with ventilators at private referral hospitals is limited.
As a matter of fact, the number of beds in isolation rooms for patients with mild symptoms at the city's private hospitals has been increased due to a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases, Nugroho informed.
The number of beds for patients with mild and serious symptoms has been raised to 464 from 199 earlier, but the number of isolation rooms equipped with ventilators has not increased significantly due to lack of funding, he said.
"To accommodate patients with serious symptoms, we need ventilators and (hepa) filters in isolation rooms, which are very costly," he pointed out.
Given the current circumstances, he said he is worried the death toll among COVID-19 patients with serious symptoms or congenital disease will likely increase.
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Translator: Pradita Kurniawan S/Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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