New Post-Announcement Worries

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A police car is parked in the neighborhood of residents infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Studio Alam housing complex in Depok, West Java, on Monday (2/3/2020). The President has confirmed the first cases of infection with the disease in Indonesia.

A residential street in Sukmajaya district, Depok, West Java, was empty on Monday (2/3/2020) afternoon. There, two confirmed COVID-19 patients live.

Police personnel, cars and motorbikes were seen at several spots, giving a feeling of strange unease. Then, from one of the houses, a man emerged and was escorted by health officers into an ambulance. He is a worker at the COVID-19 patient’s house.

The local neighborhood unit (RT) head, Teguh Prawiro, said that he regretted the government’s public communication regarding the COVID-19 outbreak caused by the new coronavirus. Teguh said that it was like the government did not consider the psychological conditions of the patient, who knew that she had the virus when President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced it. “Is it true that I have the coronavirus?” Teguh said, quoting what Case 2, a patient in her 60s, reportedly told him on Monday. Other than Case 2, there was also Case 1, Case 2’s daughter in her 30s who was confirmed to have the COVID-19 disease.

Regrettably, the patients’ full identities then spread massively on social media, especially on chat groups.

The patients then allowed Teguh to issue a statement to other residents that they had the COVID-19 disease. Their identities were revealed to other residents for the good of the neighborhood. Regrettably, the patients’ full identities then spread massively on social media, especially on chat groups.

Other than the patients’ psychological conditions, Teguh said that he was also worried about other residents. This was because the announcement was made without any discussion on COVID-19 with local residents. As a result, residents of the housing complex could face social exclusion. “We do not want ride-hailing services to avoid our housing complex and drop passengers mid-journey,” Teguh said.

Regarding the patients, Teguh said that Case 2 was often involved in art activities. Her daughter, Case 1, is also a creative worker who once served as a host in an event in Kemang, South Jakarta, attended by a Japanese person who was believed to have caught the COVID-19 disease in Malaysia

TOFIK ROZAQ UNTUK KOMPAS

A mannequin with antivirus protective gear adorns a shop at Pramuka Market in East Jakarta on Monday (2/3/2020). The price of facemasks has jumped to around Rp 300,000 for packs that used to retail for Rp 15,000-Rp 25000. The price rise was triggered by widespread concern over the coronavirus disease 2019.

One day, Case 2 felt that she was ill. She then had a checkup at a hospital in Depok on Thursday (27/2).

At the time, Case 1, who resides in Kemang, South Jakarta, also went to the hospital as she was also not feeling well. Teguh said that he had heard that Case 1 had bronchitis.

As it turned out, both were taken to the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital in North Jakarta on Saturday evening (29/2), after Case 1 told Teguh that she would return home on Sunday. On Sunday morning, Teguh found out that both had been transferred to Sulianti Saroso Hospital.

The patients’ neighbor, Frans Riberu, 62, said that he was worried about his own and his family’s health in the wake of the news, especially because the new coronavirus could spread quickly. He said that he could not have imagined how COVID-19 could spread so massively around the world.

Nevertheless, Frans said that he had no plan of moving away. For him, maintaining physical health and hygiene were the most important thing. “At my house, everyone must wash their feet outside first before going inside. Also, wash your hands with soap,” he said.

For added protection, Frans shut his doors and windows. This was his own initiative, without any public information campaign regarding the spread of the new coronavirus.

Monitoring

Regarding the two confirmed COVID-19 patients, the Depok administration and the Health Ministry are monitoring the conditions of more than 70 persons who had interacted with them.

Depok Mayor Mohammad Idris said that more than 70 people who had interacted with the patients were under monitoring. A majority of these people are workers of the hospital where the patients first reported that they were sick.

“I have requested for the detailed data [of the patients], including their home address. We will move quickly to handle this, anticipate, monitor and give guidance if it is true that there are positive cases,” he said

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Residents queue to pay after buying daily necessities at a supermarket in West Jakarta on Monday (2/3/2020). Authorities have urged the public not to panic, such as by hoarding basic necessities, after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced the first cases of infection with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confirmed to have taken place in Indonesia.

Idris also said that he was considering closing schools and government offices in Depok if the coronavirus threat became more serious.

Regions near Depok, such as Bogor, are also increasing their alertness over the coronavirus spread. Despite the absence of cases in his region thus far, Bogor Regent Ade Yasin said that the Bogor regency administration would monitor the public and patients in several local hospitals.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said on Monday that West Java would be on alert level 1 regarding the coronavirus. The status also applies for major hospitals in 27 regencies/cities in West Java.

(J GALUH BIMANTARA/PRADIPTA PANDU MUSTIKA/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI/DEONISIA ARLINTA)