VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Ministry of Health has sent 30 ventilators to the Syarifah Ambami Rato Ebu Hospital in Bangkalan, Madura Islands, East Java Province, to help deal with the surge in COVID-19 patients treated at the hospital.

"In addition to sending ventilators, we will also send health workers to help deal with the soaring COVID-19 infections in Bangkalan," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin remarked here on Tuesday.

Sadikin paid a visit to Bangkalan to directly review the pandemic-handling measures being intensified by the Bangkalan COVID-19 Task Force after a drastic spike in COVID-19 cases.

The minister was accompanied by Head of the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Lt Gen. Ganip Warsito and Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa.

In Bangkalan, the minister held a coordination meeting with the local COVID-19 Task Force and other relevant officers.

The minister urged the Bangkalan COVID-19 Task Force to involve every element of the Bangkalan society to participate in promoting the message to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease.

The number of COVID-19 cases spiked in Bangkalan following the long Eid al-Fitr holidays.

Data from Bangkalan District Head Abdul Latif Amin Imron indicated that the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases had reached 322 from April 10 to June 7, 2021. At least 34 people had succumbed to the virus.

The highest number of COVID-19 cases was reported in four sub-districts: Arosbaya, Klampis, Geger, and Bangkalan. (Antaranews)