Gov’t Imposes Stricter Health Protocols Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

President Jokowi Chairs a virtual Limited Cabinet Meeting on Monday (01/31). (Photo by: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Deni)

The number of COVID-19 daily cases outside the islands of Java and Bali has increased to 499, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto has announced.

“[COVID-19] cases outside the islands of Java and Bali have increased to 499 with local transmission at 496 cases and three cases coming from overseas travel. The mortality, as of January 30, was two,” the Coordinating Minister said after a virtual Limited Cabinet Meeting on Monday (01/31).

Airlangga also said that as of January 30, active cases outside the islands of Java and Bali were 3,326 or 5.4 percent of 61,713 national active cases.

“We must stay vigilant because the COVID-19 effective reproduction number (Rt) were 1.02 in Sumatra, 1.01 in Kalimantan, 1.08 in Maluku, 1.05 in Papua, 1.03 in Nusa Tenggara and 1 in Sulawesi,” Airlangga said.

The Minister also revealed that the Government would extend the activity restrictions policy (PPKM) to February 14, 2022.

In line with the PPKM extension in the islands of Java and Bali, he added, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has approved the policy of quarantine period for international travelers, namely five days for those who have got second dose of vaccine, seven days for Indonesian citizens who have not been fully vaccinated, and five days of self-isolation for asymptomatic patients.

Regarding vaccination, Airlangga said that during the meeting, the President also ordered relevant stakeholders to speed up booster vaccination drive outside the islands of Java and Bali.

“Today, the national third dose vaccination rate is 2.3 percent, while the third dose vaccination rate outside the islands of Java and Bali was 1.6 percent,” he remarked. (FID/AIT/ST) (RI/EP)