Coronavirus (COVID-19), the global plague that is ravaging the entire globe has hit hard on Indonesia according to the Indonesian Medical Association who declared on Monday that at least 25 Indonesian doctors had died after contracting the new coronavirus, raising alarm about the toll the disease was taking on health workers.
Halik Malik, the association’s spokesman said at least 19 doctors and six dentists have succumbed to COVID-19. Malik, however, said that no figures were available for casualties among other health workers, including nurses. He however urged the government to be transparent about the number of health workers affected by the virus.
“We need data that everyone can refer to and can be the basis for preventive strategies for health workers so we can focus on tackling COVID-19. If the number of positive cases among health workers continues to increase, health services will be disrupted, not to mention that they could transmit the disease to patients and their families,” he said.
According to the Health Ministry, Indonesia had confirmed 218 new COVID-19 cases, its biggest daily rise, taking the national tally to 2,491. The death toll rose by 11 to 209. However, the Indonesian Government had been criticised so far for low rates of testing. President Joko Widodo said on Monday that Indonesia was not among the ten countries hit hardest by the virus. “This should be conveyed to the public that Indonesia is not alone in facing this epidemic, to put things in perspective,” he said.
