Cases Of COVID-19 For A Week Have Decreased, But There Are Still 5 Provinces That Have Risen Above 50 Percent

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi said there was a 5 percent decrease in the number of weekly COVID-19 cases nationwide compared to the previous week.

However, the Ministry of Health noted that there were still 5 provinces that experienced an increase in cases of more than 50 percent. These five provinces are outside the islands of Java and Bali.

"It should be noted that several provinces reported cases of more than 50 percent, namely Aceh, Riau, Bengkulu, Central Sulawesi and Gorontalo," Nadia said in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, August 4.

As for the details, Aceh Province experienced a 97 percent increase in weekly cases from last week, Riau rose 74 percent, Bengkulu rose 57 percent, Central Sulawesi rose 88 percent, and Gorontalo rose 118 percent.

Meanwhile, weekly deaths nationwide rose 28 percent from last week. The increase in deaths from COVID-19 cases spread across 28 provinces and only 6 provinces experienced a decrease in the death rate.

In fact, said Nadia, there were 18 provinces with a death rate increase of more than 50 percent from the previous week.

"The increase in the number of weekly deaths of more than 50 percent occurred in the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra, Lampung, Riau Islands, West Java, Banten, NTB, NTT, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi. , Southeast Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and West Sulawesi," he explained.

Then, the national positivity rate for the past week was 25.2 percent. The positive rate based on the results of this specimen examination has decreased in the last two weeks.

"Despite the decline, the positive number is still high to achieve the target of less than 5 percent," he said.

Nadia said the average national test rate is currently at 4.01 per 1000 population per week. This figure decreased compared to the previous week of 4.03 per 1000 population.

The number of testing nationally is already more than the WHO recommendation. WHO requires a testing rate of at least 1 per 1000 population per week as a comprehensive surveillance indicator.

However, Nadia said there were still three provinces with testing rates below the WHO standard. "Provinces that have not yet reached the WHO testing rate standard are Lampung, West Nusa Tenggara and Maluku," he concluded.