647 medical workers in Indonesia die of COVID-19

At least 647 medical workers in Indonesia have died of COVID-19 from March 2020 to Wednesday, the Indonesian Medical Association said on Thursday.

Of the 647 medical workers, 289 were doctors, 27 dentists, 221 nurses, 84 midwives, 11 pharmacists, 15 medical laboratory staff members.

Head of the association's mitigation team Adib Khumaidi said the small number of COVID-19 diagnostic tests had caused insufficient handling of the pandemic and many medical workers were exposed to the virus.

"The number of tests in Indonesia now is less than 5 per cent of the total population," Khumaidi said.

The province with the highest number of medical worker deaths in East Java, which reported 188 deaths.

In the country's capital Jakarta, the COVID-19 killed 43 doctors, 10 dentists, 25 nurses, two pharmacists, three medical lab staff members, and seven midwives. (/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )