The COVID-19 Orange Zone Now Spreads In Half Of Indonesia

COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito (Photo: BNPB Public Relations)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said the orange zone for COVID-19 had continued to increase for several weeks. Currently, the areas that have a moderate COVID-19 risk are almost half of the districts / cities in Indonesia.

In the 19 July period, 32.88 percent of the regions in Indonesia had the status of the orange zone. Then, it rose to 35.99 percent on July 26, up again to 43 percent on August 2, then 43.19 percent on August 9.

"On the August 16 data update, the change to the orange zone was 46.11 percent. There was an increase in the orange zone to 237 districts / cities. Clustering occurred in the yellow zone," said Wiku at the Presidential Palace, Tuesday, August 18.

The increase in areas with the status of the orange zone resulted in a decrease in the number of areas with the status of the green zone (without cases), the yellow zone (low risk), and the red zone (high risk).

As of August 16, the red zone totaled 29 districts / cities, the yellow zone amounted to 174 municipalities, and the green zone with no new cases category was 42 districts / cities, and the green zone not affected was 32 districts / cities.

"This is what everyone needs to pay attention to. That the risk is high or red is decreasing is a good sign. However, areas that are not affected are also decreasing, which is a bad sign," said Wiku.

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) releases the latest additional positive cases of COVID-19 today. Of the 14,371 specimens examined, there were 1,673 new positive cases of COVID-19 within 24 hours.

"The total accumulation of positive cases since COVID-19 was discovered in Indonesia has reached 143,043 people," the Ministry of Health was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the number of cases recovered today has increased by 1,848, so that a total of 96,306 people have recovered. Then, the positive confirmed cases who died increased by 70 people and a total of 6,277 people.