Indonesia reports its first death linked to COVID-19

A foreign patient has become the first person with COVID-19 to die in Indonesia, a health ministry official said on Wednesday, adding that it is unclear if the virus had caused her death.

The patient, Case 25, is a 53-year-old woman, reports Channel News Asia. 

"At around 2am, the patient with the identity of Case 25 died," Mr Achmad Yurianto told a press conference.

A spokesperson from United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed that the patient is a British citizen.

Mr John Nickell told CNA that the office is supporting the deceased's family and is in contact with local authorities. 

"Our sympathies and thoughts are with her family at this difficult time,” he said, adding that she was in Bali.    

Mr Yurianto, the Indonesian government spokesman for COVID-19, said in the presser that the patient was already critically ill when she was warded for COVID-19.

She was suffering from diabetes, hypertension, hyperthyroidism and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he added.

"We were not (informed) that her death was caused by COVID. There are always complications," Mr Yurianto said.

The patient's husband was with her in the hospital, he added. 

Since the detection of its first two COVID-19 cases last week, Indonesia has a total of 27 cases as of Wednesday.

Mr Yurianto said the authorities face challenges in tracing those who might have come in contact with COVID-19 patients, as the patients "have difficulties remembering where they went and who they met during the last 14 days".