Worried About The Increase In COVID-19 Cases, Luhut Advises Jokowi Not To Rush To Decide The Endemic

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan (PHOTO: Nailin In Saroh-VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan revealed that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country had increased in the last three days.

"From the last three days, we have seen the number rise again. So it's already at 500 (cases). At first 300, 200 suddenly rose to 500. But seeing the figure for three consecutive days above 500, I'm quite worried," he said. at the Working Meeting at the Budget Agency (Banggar) of the DPR RI, Thursday, June 9.

Moreover, continued Luhut, the positivity rate was already in the 1 percent position from the initial range of 0.5 to 0.8 percent, although it was still below the WHO.

In the United States, cases of COVID-19 are also increasing.

Therefore, Luhut suggested to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) not to rush to announce the endemic period.

"That's why we don't rush into an endemic. And that I suggested to the President last week, we wait for two months, sir. If we are able to survive in the last two months well, I think we will get a prize on August 17th," he said.

Therefore, Luhut said, all parties must work together in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. He did not want Indonesia to drag on in dealing with the pandemic that had lasted for 2 years.

"So we all have to be united in facing this. Because we can't linger like this," he said.

In a situation like this, according to Luhut, all parties also need to join hands.

There's no need to blame each other for one another.

"We can't blame each other, we feel competitive here. There is nothing better in handling this, because we really can't control this virus," he said.