COVID-19 Cases Outside Java-Bali Increase Up To 61.8 Percent In Last Week

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

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, said the increase in COVID-19 cases in provinces outside Java and Bali was quite significant in the past week.

"It turns out, in the provinces outside Java-Bali, the increase this week was 61.8 percent. For information, the increase outside Java-Bali in the previous week was only 37.79 percent", said Wiku in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, July 6.

The five provinces that contributed the most to the increase in cases were East Kalimantan with an increase of 1.749 cases, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) with an increase of 1.269, West Kalimantan with an increase of 1.160, Riau with an increase of 843, and South Sulawesi with an increase of 751 cases.

Therefore, Wiku asked the local government, even though emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) was not implemented such as in Java-Bali, it was still obliged to improve the handling of COVID-19 to prevent a higher increase in cases.

"There should not be an increase in cases that are even higher outside Java-Bali provinces because they are not followed up quickly and precisely", he said.

In addition, currently, there are 27 regencies/cities outside Java and Bali which are included in the red zone. Wiku asked each region to pay attention to the development of cases in their respective regions and enforce the micro-scale PPKM regulations.

"Immediately take effective and targeted steps to suppress transmission so that it does not increase as in Java and Bali", he said.

Meanwhile, nationally, positive cases this week reached 168.767 cases. This figure increased 34.6 percent from the previous week.

This increase was contributed by the 5 provinces with the highest increase. Among them, DKI Jakarta rose by 14.508 cases from last week, West Java rose by 10.367, East Java rose by 2.905, DIY rose by 2.173 and East Kalimantan rose by 1.749 cases.

"It should be noted that after several weeks of being dominated by the island of Java, this week East Kalimantan is included in one of the provinces with the highest increase", said Wiku.