Bad News, COVID-19 In Sumatra, Kalimantan, And Sulawesi Experiences Increase In Cases When Java-Bali Begins To Decline

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said PPKM Level 4 decreased the number of COVID-19 cases in Java and Bali. Unfortunately, currently positive cases on other islands are increasing.

"Several provinces must continue to be vigilant because they are still experiencing an increase in positive cases for 3 weeks in a row. These provinces are dominated by the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi," said Wiku on Tuesday, August 3.

On Sumatra Island, almost all provinces still showed an increase over the last 3 weeks, only Riau Islands which has shown a decrease in cases.

On the island of Kalimantan, all provinces still showed increases for 3 weeks in a row, except for West Kalimantan, which experienced a decline.

"The increase in cases that cannot be suppressed in most of these areas certainly needs to be our common concern. This increase can also occur because the local government and the community are negligent and think the area is fine just because they don't implement PPKM Level 4," said Wiku.

Along with the increase in positive cases, the bed occupancy ratio (BOR) of the COVID-19 referral hospitals in these three islands has also increased.

The increase in BOR occurred particularly in Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, South Sumatra, Bangka Belitung, Bengkulu, South Kalimantan, Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and West Sulawesi.

Therefore, Wiku asked local governments on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi to continue to monitor the development of COVID-19 cases in their regions, to improve handling both from upstream and downstream, and as much as possible to suppress transmission in the community.

"It's not too late to improve the situation so that cases can be suppressed. Take advantage of this PPKM extension moment for the next week to continue to improve the handling of COVID-19 in their respective regions. If the decline in cases can occur evenly in all provinces, then it is not impossible that we can immediately released from the snare of this COVID-19," he concluded.