VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia on Sunday added 1,492 confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally to 98,778 cases, and 1,301 fresh recoveries, according to data of the Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Response.

A total of 56,655 COVID-19 patients had recovered so far, the Task Force said in a statement on Sunday.

The death toll has reached 4,781, with an additional 67 deaths on Sunday.

As many as 20,492 samples were tested on Sunday, bringing the total number of specimens that have been examined in the country so far, to 1,381,699.

Jakarta registered the largest number of fresh cases at 384, followed by East Java 283 cases, South Sulawesi 133 cases, South Kalimantan 116 cases, and Central Java 76 cases.

East Java had the largest number of deaths at 17 people, but at the same, it has also the highest number of patients recovering at 363 people on Sunday.

Totally, East Java has the largest number of confirmed cases so far, notably at 20,539 cases, followed by Jakarta 19,125 cases, South Sulawesi 8,881 cases, Central Java 8,412 cases, and West Java 6,039 cases.

The total number of recoveries in East Java has so far reached 12,318, followed by Jakarta 11,886 people, South Sulawesi 5,963 people, Central Java 4,150 people, and South Kalimantan 2,850 people. (ANTARA)

Five provinces, namely Aceh, Bengkulu, Jambi, West Kalimantan and North Kalimantan, reported no new cases on Sunday.

photo : kemenpar

The number of tourists in the indigenous Baduy tribe’s village in Kanekes, Lebak regency, Banten, should be limited to achieve sustainable tourism. The ministry’s destination and infrastructure development undersecretary, Hari Santosa Sungkari, said previously, the Baduy tribe community had asked the government to exclude the village from the list of Indonesia’s tourist destinations through a letter addressed to President Jokowi Widodo dated July 6. In the letter, which was signed by several Baduy cultural figures, the community stated that it felt disturbed by tourists, especially due to environmental pollution caused by tourism. Hari said that his ministry was accommodating the request and considering a plan to develop an app for tourists who wish to visit the Baduy cultural area. Tourists would then be required to register through the app prior to their visit to Baduy//JP

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Wiku Adisasmito drew attention to a continued decline in the percentage of deaths among COVID-19 positive patients in recent months.

Adisasmito delivered the statement at a virtual press conference from the Office of the President, Jakarta, on Friday.

"In March, the percentage of deaths reached a maximum of 9.34 percent, with an average rate of 4.89 percent," he pointed out.

Adisasmito stated that in April, the percentage had increased to a maximum of 9.5 percent and an average of 8.64 percent.

However, since May, the figure gradually dipped, reaching a maximum of 7.66 percent and an average of 6.68 percent.

For June, the maximum percentage of deaths touched 6.09 percent and an average of 5.56 percent. In July, the maximum percentage was recorded at 5.08 percent, with an average of 4.86 percent.

Adisasmito noted that the average mortality rate in the world had reached 4.2 percent.

"Hence, to this end, Indonesia is approaching the world average," he stated.

Adisasmito attributed the decrease in the percentage of deaths to better management of patient cases from time to time.

"The number of isolation rooms increased to 23,519, the number of isolation beds rose to 188,510, and the number of health workers with higher knowledge and accustomed to handling COVID-19 patients also improved. The number of referral hospitals also rose to 839 hospitals in Indonesia," he explained.

Until Thursday (July 23), Indonesia had recorded a total of 93,657 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 52,164 patients that had recovered and 4,576 patients that had succumbed to the novel coronavirus disease.

In the meantime, the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) highlighted the trend of some 70 percent of children dying of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) being below six years of age.

"This is the COVID-19 data on children collected until July 20, 2020," IDAI Chairperson Dr. Aman Bhakti Pulungan noted here on Thursday.

During the period from March 17 to July 20, a total of 2,712 Indonesian children had tested positive for COVID-19, while 51 of them had succumbed to the disease.

Moreover, the number of children suspected of having contracted COVID-19 reached 7,633, of which 290 had died. (ANTARA)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana urged Indonesian children to always adopt a disciplined approach in implementing health protocols to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the pandemic.

"That is important since it is the only way to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Children must be able to implement health protocols," Jokowi emphasized at the virtual summit event of National Children's Day 2020 held on Thursday.

Meanwhile, First Lady Iriana advised the children to always wash their hands using soap and running water after playing and learning activities.

Iriana also appealed to Indonesian children to wear masks while venturing outdoors and steering the clearing of crowds.

The President and First Lady encouraged children across Indonesia to learn to inculcate new habits.

"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, studying was conducted with teachers and friends at school, though now, we have to study at home," Iriana noted.

Jokowi and Iriana also greeted the children, who partook in the highlight of the 2020 National Children's Day virtual video commemoration.

The peak event of National Children's Day 2020, held virtually through the Zoom application, was attended by 329 representatives from 34 provinces, 69 representatives of the Children's Forum, and 44 performers at the Happy Concert at Home. (ANTARA)