Sri Sultan Ensures The Bantul COVID-19 Cluster Doesn't Widen

YOGYAKARTA - The Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, ensured that the cluster of COVID-19 transmission in a number of schools in Sedayu District, Bantul Regency, which had infected residents of Sleman Regency, did not expand.

"The fact is that we can handle it and keep [schools] closed. Now it's gone down, it means it's not widening. Yes, it fluctuates up and down, up and down but, yes, it's okay we can control it, in the sense of quickly handling it," said Sultan at the Complex Kepatihan, Yogyakarta, reported by Antara, Wednesday, November 10.

The Sultan admitted that the spike in COVID-19 cases in Yogyakarta some time ago was triggered by a cluster of transmissions in Sedayu District, Bantul.

The case of COVID-19 transmission started from a takziah activity which later developed in a number of schools in the sub-district.

According to him, the addition of new cases of COVID-19 in DIY, which had been stable at around 30 cases per day, on November 3, 2021 jumped significantly to 89 cases.

"It turned out that there was a cluster. That's how it was, our cluster was closed (the school), we handled it and then it was down again (daily cases in DIY)," said the King of the Yogyakarta Palace.

He hopes that the transmission of corona cases in DIY can remain under control so that there will not be a spike in cases during the year-end holiday momentum which coincides with Christmas 2021 and New Year 2022.

According to the Sultan, reducing the number of corona cases that have already soared is more difficult than keeping the cases steady.

"The important thing is that we try, we take care now not to go up, keep it sloping. Automatically if it's sloping now, the hope is that Christmas and New Year will slope down," said the Sultan. Sedayu area, Bantul Regency some time ago which was transmitted to the community in Sleman Regency was under control.

From the results of a search conducted on several students from Sleman, it grew to 69 people who were later confirmed positive for COVID-19.

All patients who have been confirmed positive have self-isolated to prevent transmission.*