Hence, the governor has urged Jakartans to stay at home and desist from engaging in outdoor activities except for emergency purposes, as COVID-19 cases in Jakarta had spiked drastically.
"The potential for transmission is very high. Second, these are new variants, so we are witnessing expedited transmission. In many cases, there have been an acceleration (of transmission) and worsening (of the patients' condition) when infected with COVID-19," Baswedan remarked while visiting the Kramat Jati Hospital, East Jakarta, Thursday night.
In contrast to the spike in cases in the previous months, the governor noted that generally, the condition of patients being exposed to the virus will deteriorate faster due to the new variants.
He reminded that the government cannot monitor the people's activities, especially in private spaces, such as houses and residential areas. Hence, he urged them to implement health protocols strictly.
The former minister of education and culture warned the public that in the current scenario, Jakarta could potentially enter a critical phase.
All hospitals are urged to increase the bed capacity, he remarked.
"We are increasing the number of beds, medical personnel, and medicines. However, if the number of patients is not controlled and continues to grow, then it will be a cause for concern," Baswedan emphasized.
Director of the Kramat Jati Hospital, Friana Asmely, noted that before the new variants existed in the country, the patients usually experienced mild to moderate symptoms, but currently, more patients are reeling from moderate to severe symptoms.
"This month, we find more moderate and severe symptoms among patients. The medical term is desaturation, or lack of oxygen in the open air. In fact, all of them have oxygen levels below 90 percent," Asmely pointed out. In May 2021, the Health Ministry had confirmed the entry of three new COVID-19 variants into Indonesia: B.1.1.7 from Britain, B1.351 from South Africa, and B.1.617 from India.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Mentari DG, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
