A COVID-19 patient was found hanged in the bathroom of an isolation room at a local hospital in Bali earlier this morning, with authorities suspecting that the deceased may have suffered from mental health issues.
The 44-year-old victim, identified by his initials IMS, was found by a health officer on duty at around 5:30am. During a routine check at BaliMed Hospital in Jembrana regency, the officer found IMS’ room empty and his restroom locked. Receiving no response after knocking, a security guard was then called to open the door.
“The victim was hanged with a blanket around his neck,” M Reza Pranata, who heads the criminal investigation unit at Jembrana Precinct, said.
IMS reportedly tested positive with the coronavirus last Thursday, and has been treated at the isolation room since then.
“[We] suspect that the patient was depressed, but for certainty we’ll wait for the result of the investigation,” Reza said.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from depression and/or contemplating suicide, you can get more information and resources from several local NGOs dealing with mental health and suicide prevention, such as intothelightid.org and Bali-based Love Inside Suicide Awareness (LISA) helpline at +628113855472.
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