COVID-19 Cases Soar, Polewali Mandar Implements PPKM Level 3

Polewali Mandar Regent Andi Ibrahim Masdar (center) at the coordination meeting for determining PPKM level 3 (Photo: ANTARA/HO)

SULBAR - The Polewali Mandar Regency Government of West Sulawesi Province has started implementing the Level 3 Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) after experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The determination of the PPKM level 3 criteria was carried out through a coordination meeting to address the surge in COVID-19 cases which was held virtually at the Polewali Mandar Police Office, Tuesday, July 27.

The meeting was attended by the Regent of Polewali Mandar Andi Ibrahim Masdar, the Chief of the Resort Police AKBP Ardi Sutriono, the Head of the local Health Service and the Head of the Civil Service Police Unit.

"This coordination meeting is to observe the development of positive cases of COVID-19 in Polewali Mandar Regency which continues to show a significant increase in the number of cases from day to day," said Regent Andi as quoted by Antara.

The Regent hopes that the people in the area respond to the surge in COVID-19 cases by continuing to strictly adhere to health protocols.

"As Chair of the COVID-19 Task Force, I hope that the public can understand the determination of PPKM level 3 as an effort to suppress the spread of COVID-19. Regarding the technical and implementation, we are still waiting for a letter from the Governor," he said.

"We want to protect the Polewali Mandar community so that COVID-19 cases can be suppressed, even if possible, none of our people will be infected with COVID-19, because this is dangerous. Especially now that we are the largest in West Sulawesi," said Andi Ibrahim Masdar.

The provisions on the implementation of PPKM level 3, including schools / teaching and learning activities are carried out online, non-essential offices apply 75 percent WFH and 100 percent WFO for essential and 100 percent WFO for critical sectors.

Other provisions, basic necessities shops, supermarkets and markets continue to operate 100 percent with strict implementation of health protocols, pharmacies/drug stores, can operate for 24 hours on condition that health protocols apply, restaurants/warung/cafes and street vendors with 25 percent of capacity and for operations until 17.00 WITA, delivery orders until 20.00 WITA. And special restaurants for delivery messages can operate for 24 hours by implementing health protocols.

Then, the operating hours of shopping centers/malls and places of worship are until 17:00 WITA with a maximum occupancy of 25 percent of capacity and strictly implement health protocols.

Meanwhile, public facilities, parks, tourist attractions, arts/culture/sports and social services are temporarily closed, public transportation, conventional and online taxis operate at 100 percent capacity by implementing strict health protocols.

The Head of Polewali Mandar Police, AKBP Ardi Sutriono, requested that the implementation of PPKM level 3 be implemented properly by the community considering the surge in COVID-19 cases in the area.

"We have made various efforts, including isolation, but positive cases of COVID-19 continue to increase. For this reason, we ask that the process be carried out strictly," he said.

Meanwhile, based on data from the West Sulawesi Provincial Health Office, as of Tuesday, there was one additional positive case of COVID-19 from Mamuju Regency so that the current number of positive COVID-19 cases is 193 cases, 58 of them are undergoing treatment at the hospital, as many as 12 are self-isolating, 119 people recovered and three people died.

The cumulative distribution of positive COVID-19 cases, which was highest in Mamuju Regency which reached 62 cases, then Polewali Mandar with 59 cases, 39 positive cases of COVID-19 in Central Mamuju Regency, 17 cases in Majene and eight cases each in Pasangkayu Regency. and Mamasa.