VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government has decided to extend micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM) by two more weeks, starting Tuesday (June 15, 2021).

Several activities will be adjusted as per the PPKM policy this time, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, informed at an online press conference originating from the Presidential Palace here on Monday.

Offices located in red zones, which have a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, will be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity with employees working in rotation, informed Hartarto, who also heads the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN).

The remaining 75 percent employees will have to work from home, he added.

The government has relaxed the PPKM policy for offices located in orange or yellow zones, which have a moderate risk of COVID-19 transmission, allowing them to operate at 50 percent capacity. This means that 50 percent of their employees can work out of the office and the rest from home, Hartarto explained.

The government has also prescribed online classes for all schools in sub-districts categorized as red zones, he said.

To reduce crowds, the government has appealed to people in red zones to worship at home, he added.

"Places of worship in red zones will be closed for two weeks," the minister informed.

Meanwhile, shopping centers and restaurants will be required to close at 9 p.m. and limit entry to 50 percent of capacity with due adherence to health protocols, he added.

According to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Indonesia’s coronavirus case count rose by 8,189 on Monday to reach 1,919,547,

Jakarta recorded the highest single-day infections at 2,722, followed by West Java (1,532) and Central Java (1,400).

Only West Kalimantan and Gorontalo reported no new cases on Monday.

Meanwhile, the number of patients recovering from the infection climbed by 6,143 to reach 1,751,234, with West Java recording the highest single-day recoveries of 1,753.

With 237 people succumbing to the virus, the death toll increased to 53,116. Central Java reported the highest number of deaths at 55.

The number of active patients conducting self-isolation and undergoing treatment at hospitals rose by 1,809 to touch 115,197 on Monday.

Meanwhile, the number of people suspected of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, stood at 117,747.The figure was based on the result of tests conducted on 69,314 specimens, obtained from 52,713 persons, at hundreds of laboratories across Indonesia.

According to the task force, the daily positivity rate now stands at 22.45 percent for specimens and 15.54 percent for people.

Indonesia reported its first coronavirus infections in March last year.  (Antaranews)