Good News, Positive Cases Of COVID-19 This Week Are Decreasing, But The Death Rate Also Rising

COVID-19 Handling Task Force Spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Task Force for Handling COVID-19, Wiku Adisasmito, said there was a decrease in the number of new COVID-19 cases this week. However, this has also been accompanied by an increase in the death rate of COVID-19.

Wiku said, graphically, in the past two weeks the death rate has increased. Then, one week ago, mortality decreased.

"Unfortunately, this week it has again increased by 5.45 percent compared to the previous week," said Wiku in the Presidential Secretariat Youtube broadcast, Thursday, March 18.

This increase was the contribution of the 5 provinces with the highest rate of increase. Namely, Central Java increased by 124 (69 vs 193), West Java increased by 46 (157 vs 203), Papua increased by 10 (6 vs 16), South Sumatra increased by 6 (15 vs 21) and West Sumatra increased by 4 (10 vs 14).

If the death rate increases, the cure rate will automatically decrease. Wiku said the weekly cure for COVID-19 had decreased by 6.2 percent.

"The decline (recovery rate) this week is the fifth time in a row," he said.

Even so, Wiku appreciated the provinces with the highest weekly recovery rates. Among them, Banten increased by 1,183 (741 vs 1,924), Papua increased by 395 (522 vs 917), Bangka Belitung increased by 96 (308 vs 404), West Kalimantan increased by 73 (266 vs 339) and Riau increased by 43 (642 vs 684).

It is known, this week there are fewer positive cases than last week. The decline was 11.62 percent compared to the previous week.

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 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," said Wiku.

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