Ministry Of Health Gives Good News, Covid-19 Transmission Rate Slows

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JAKARTA - The rate of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 in Indonesia is slowing down in line with the government's efforts to control the pandemic. It is hoped that this will even decrease in the next month.

"The rate of transmission of the virus (Rt) has slowed down in major islands in Indonesia and it is hoped that the reproduction rate of the virus can continue to decline to below 1 in the next month," said Health Ministry Spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi in a press release received on Tuesday, Jakarta, March 8.

The virus reproduction rate in the eight major islands of Indonesia showed a decline from an average of 1.14 on 26 February 2022 to 1.09. The lower the viral reproduction rate, the lower the transmission rate.

"Current conditions nationally show the trend of handling COVID-19 is improving with daily cases starting to decline," she said.

The impact that can be seen from the slowdown in the rate of transmission of this virus is the daily number of cases which fell again to 21.380 cases as of Monday (7/3), lower than the previous day, Sunday (6/3), which was in the position of 24.867 cases.

National hospital occupancy also fell to 28 percent compared to the same period at 29 percent. The cure rate is also relatively high at 48.800 people.

"Although several pandemic control indicators have consistently shown positive results, we must not be negligent. We must remain vigilant and be more careful so that there is no spike in cases," she said.

Nadia, who also serves as the Secretary of the Directorate General of Public Health at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, said that the discipline of health protocols must continue to be implemented and the rate of two-dose and booster vaccinations must continue to be accelerated.

As of Sunday (6/3), 12 provinces have achieved the two-dose vaccination target of more than 70 percent. And only six provinces have fulfilled the complete vaccination dose for the elderly.

"The Ministry of Health will continue to push for vaccination targets, especially in protecting the elderly, comorbid groups, children, and also accelerating booster vaccinations," she said.

As of Monday (7/3) vaccination dose 1 has been given to 192.134.689 (92.25 percent) of the population. The second dose of vaccination has been given to 148.347.458 (71.23 percent) of the population. Vaccination doses of 3 or booster have been given to 12.698.131 (6.10 percent) of the population.