Human Negligence More Fatal Than Coronavirus, Warns Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – “Covid-19 is a dangerous disease, but the humans who carry it are far more dangerous.”

Thus warned retired Army Lt. Gen. Doni Monardo, chief of the Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force, as he noted the continued rise in the country's coronavirus caseload.

“Each individual has the potential to infect or be infected [by Covid-19], making it more dangerous [than previous coronavirus strains]. The biggest risk is that carriers are often unaware [of the dangers they pose].”

Also read: Indonesia's Covid-19 Death Toll Surpasses 10,000

“The public has to help enforce health protocols such as washing hands, wearing masks, and practicing social distancing as they are the main, non-negotiable ways to prevent Covid-19,” he said, noting the many instances of skipping protocols including failure to avoid crowds in public spaces.

“If these precautions are relaxed, they can expose more people [to Covid-19]. Therefore I must remind you that Covid-19 is a very real [pandemic], and is neither a fabrication or a conspiracy.”

Also read: Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force Warns of Looming Health System Collapse

Doni’s warning comes as the number of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia reached 275,213 as of September 27, following the addition of 3,874 new cases over the past 24 hours. Infections have been recorded in 497 districts and cities throughout Indonesia's 34 provinces.

The pandemic claimed 10,386 lives, while 203,014 patients recovered from Covid-19. Indonesia's death toll from the pandemic is the third-highest in Asia after India and Iran.

(Writers: Deti Mega Purnamasari, Devina Halim | Editors: Sandro Gatra, Ambaranie Nadila Kemala Movanita)

Sources:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/09/27/22520251/doni-monardo-covid-19-berbahaya-tapi-manusia-carrier-jauh-lebih-bahaya?page=all#page2. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/09/27/15212011/update-27-september-3874-kasus-baru-total-kasus-covid-19-di-indonesia-capai