The Task Force Claims Positive Covid-19 Cases Have Decreased Despite Increasing Testing

Spokesperson for the Task Force (Task Force) Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Task Force (Task Force) Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito said positive cases of COVID-19 had decreased from the first week to the third week of March.

Wiku emphasized that the decline occurred not because of a reduction in specimens examined because what is happening now is the opposite.

"In the first to the third week of March, the number of examinations has increased while the number of positive cases has decreased. This means that, although the number of COVID-19 tests has increased after fluctuating, this was not followed by the number of positive cases," Wiku said at a press conference held. broadcast online on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Thursday, March 18.

Under these conditions, the active case called the task force has decreased. "And not because of the reduced number of examinations," he said.

In addition, Wiku also said that the weekly check-up rate per Wednesday, March 17 had also reached the World Health Organization standard number of 1: 1,000 population.

Seeing this condition, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force then invited all parties to maintain this condition by implementing strict health protocols. So that in the future, the COVID-19 case can be even more suppressed.

"This condition must be maintained by continuing to implement health protocols. I hope that in the future, COVID-19 cases can be reduced, but the number of examinations can be increased and maintained above WHO standards," he said.

Previously reported, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) released the latest additional positive cases of COVID-19 today. A total of 75,737 specimens were examined today. As a result, there were 6,570 new positive cases of COVID-19.

"The total accumulation of positive cases since COVID-19 was discovered in Indonesia reached 1,443,853 people and active cases rose from 58 to 131,753 cases," the Ministry of Health was quoted as saying, Thursday, March 18.

Cases recovered today increased by 6,285 cases, so that a total of 1,272,958 people recovered. Then, the positive confirmed cases that died increased by 227 people and the total was 39,142 people.

The province with the most new cases is in DKI Jakarta with 1,719 cases and a total of 365,419 cases. Followed by West Java which has 1,261 new cases with a total of 237,251 cases. Central Java has 658 new cases and a total of 163,460 cases.

Meanwhile, East Java has 339 new cases and a total of 135,803 cases.

The province with the most cases recovered today belongs to West Java with an increase of 1,170 recovered cases. Followed by DKI Jakarta with an increase of 1,168 recovered cases, Banten with an increase of 605 recovered cases, and East Kalimantan with an additional 390 recovered cases.

No province reported having no new cases as of today. Provinces reporting new cases under 10 are Southeast Sulawesi, North Maluku, Bengkulu, Riau Islands, and West Sulawesi.

In addition, the number of specimens examined using RT-PCR, TCM, and antigen reached 11,871,197.

"Positive results per number of specimens examined or the positivity rate today amounted to 19.92 percent," he wrote.