VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Health Ministry announced 127 COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, the highest one-day death toll so far.

The previous highest daily toll was recorded on July 15, when 87 people were reported to have died of the virus.

“One hundred twenty-seven deaths were recorded today, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 4,143,” the ministry’s disease control and prevention director-general, Achmad Yurianto, said in his daily press briefing on Sunday, referring to the number for the 24 hours ending at noon on Sunday.

He made no further comment on the high death toll.

East Java reported the highest toll on Sunday with 52 deaths, bringing the number of COVID-19 deaths in the region to 1,401. 

East Java remains the province with the highest death toll, far surpassing other regions, including Jakarta’s 736 deaths.

Central Java followed East Java with 23 deaths logged on Sunday. Meanwhile, both Jakarta and South Sulawesi recorded nine new deaths, respectively.

“We should understand that virus transmission is still happening, so please abide by the health protocols,” Yurianto said.

The Health Ministry recently expanded its definition of a COVID-19 death “for surveillance purposes” to include the deaths of probable cases but has yet to publicly announce the numbers under the new definition.

Tempo Magazine recently reported that an internal COVID-19 task force database showed 13,885 COVID-19-related deaths as of July 3. 

Indonesia has the largest number of confirmed cases and the highest death toll in Southeast Asia. Its reported case figure recently surpassed that of China, where the outbreak began. 

Yurianto reported another 1,639 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 86,521 confirmed cases nationwide. (The Jakarta Post)

Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, in an official Youtube video on Sunday, explained three scenarios that would help end the COVID-19 pandemic which according to the minister, was discovered after he randomly surfed the internet and googled “how pandemic ends.”

The three scenarios, according to Tito Karnavian’s internet search, include mass-vaccinations, herd immunity, and the natural viral weakening due to mutation. He opined about the first scenario:

“Clearly, the first scenario [the pandemic would end] is the discovery of a vaccine. But the question is that who can guarantee when the vaccine would be found,” said Tito Karnavian from the Home Affairs Ministry’s official video that is originally a video to justify the decision to keep on holding the 2020 Simultaneous Regional Elections (Pilkada). (tempo.co)

A Youtube video uploaded by the Jakarta administration’s account on Sunday saw Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan presenting the city’s plan to fund students entering private schools. 

The governor argues that COVID-19 pandemic has increased the costs of living in the capital city, which also includes the costs of education. 

“It is a bigger burden to be living nowadays in Jakarta, not just because of the rising costs, but also because of the dropping income,” said Anies Baswedan on Sunday evening of July 19. He maintains that the surging costs of living must not, in any way, stop students from being able to go to school. 

“Education is costly. But it would be even costlier if [people are left] uneducated. It would cost the government more if someone does not go to school,” said the governor. (tempo.co)

Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian reminded regional head candidates not to hold campaigns or rallies that bring together more than 50 people during the 2020 regional heads' elections. The restriction is aimed at preventing difficulties to implement health protocols in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Tito said that if organizers cannot obey the rule or control their supporters, the Elections Supervising Agency or Bawaslu will give one or two warnings, and disqualify them if it happens again for the third time.

Tito made the statement on July 20 during a briefing in the coordination meeting to prepare for the 2020 elections in Central Kalimantan. The local Covid-19 Task Force was also present.

Tito also asked for the regulation of the election to include mandatory compliance of health protocols for regional heads candidates and their supporters, such as the use of masks, face shields, protective gear, and others. He also hopes candidates will distribute campaign items in the form of masks and hand sanitizers.

"If one candidate can give out 100,000 masks, this means we can get 54 million masks for the public. They can also give out sanitizers," Tito Karnavian said. 

He advised the public to vote for leaders who are capable of mitigating Covid-19 in their respective regions, as well as have a good strategy to revive the local economy that has been weakened by the pandemic and lockdown. (tempo.co)