Bandung, W Java (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National COVID-19 Task Force Head Doni Monardo was vocal in deprecating a gay sex scandal involving a nurse and his patient at the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran Emergency Hospital for COVID-19 patients.

"I deplore such an unlawful act. It really does not reflect the value of Indonesian culture," he told journalists on the sidelines of a COVID-19 Task Force meeting at the Siliwangi regional military command here early this week.

Monardo remarked that the Wisma Atlet emergency hospital authority had collaborated with the Jakarta city police for handling the case, but the COVID-19 patient, who supposedly engaged in sex with the nurse, is still under hospitalization over public health concerns.

"If, within the next day or two, the patient has tested negative for COVID-19, he will be handed over to the police," he revealed, adding that preventive measures will be stepped up to avert the recurrence of similar scandals in future.

In connection with this case, the Central Jakarta police investigators had summoned several witnesses, including the nurse, for clarification to respond to a report by the emergency hospital staffers on the alleged gay sex scandal.

According to Central Jakarta Police Chief Sen. Coms. Heru Novianto, the police investigators had summoned the witnesses and were gathering substantial items of evidence to gain clarity in the case of this sex scandal.

The emergency hospital staffers revealed the gay couple's dirty chats. As of Sunday, none of those summoned had been named suspects, but the police will later take a decision on the suspects.

"We are still examining this case," Novianto noted on Sunday.

He, however, confirmed that the nurse had sex with the COVID-19 patient, but the police investigators will conduct additional examination on it during their further inquiry.

According to the emergency hospital staffers' report, the gay couple engaged in sex inside a special toilet for nurses for several times.

The patient has yet to be summoned for questioning, as he remains hospitalized, while the nurse is being subject to a detailed examination over violations of the code of ethics, he stated.

The nurse and his patient can be charged for violating Article 36; Article 45, Point 1; and Article 27, Point 1 of Indonesia's Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law.

If found guilty, they can be sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The Wisma Atlet emergency hospital, with a total capacity to handle 12 thousand patients, was officially inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on March 23, 2020, as part of Indonesia's endeavors to fight the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease.

The Indonesian government also established another emergency hospital in Galang Island, Riau Islands Province. The Galang Emergency Hospital has officially operated since April 6, 2020.

The COVID-19 initially struck the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, but it has then spread to various parts of the world, including Indonesia.

The first COVID-19 infections in Indonesia were reported on March 2 this year. Related news: Jakarta police summon a nurse over sex scandal with COVID-19 patient
Related news: Wisma Atlet Hospital treating over 2,000 COVID-19 inpatients


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Translator: Bagus AR, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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