Evaluating Java-Bali Emergency Community Activity Restrictions, The Government Opens Up About Extension Option

JAKARTA - The government is still reviewing various options for evaluation results while continuing to monitor the progress of the Implementation of Emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Java-Bali which ends on July 20.

"An extension is one option", said the Director-General of Regional Administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Safrizal ZA via a short message quoted from CNNIndonesia.com, Monday, July 12.

Safrizal did not reveal the other options being discussed. He was also reluctant to confirm when the government would make a final decision on the sustainability of Emergency PPKM.

He only ensured that the government would announce a decision in the near future after the evaluation of the implementation of the Emergency PPKM. "The government will evaluate it towards the end, a few days before the 20th", said Safrizal.

Initially, the Emergency PPKM was only implemented in 122 districts/cities in Java and Bali. Over time, the government expanded the coverage of the Emergency PPKM.

Starting today, Monday (12/7), 15 regencies/cities outside Java and Bali will participate in implementing the Emergency PPKM. As long as the Emergency PPKM has been running for nine days in Java-Bali, the positive cases of COVID-19 have not decreased.

Several times recorded daily cases, the highest occurred on July 8 with 38.391 cases. Not only that, but the case of death also recorded a new record during the Emergency PPKM.

On July 7, COVID-19 patients who died reached 1.040 people, the highest during the pandemic. Nonetheless, recovered patients also set a record on July 11 with 32.615 people.