VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Covid-19 Task Force and the Ministry of Health updated Covid-19 data on Monday, showing positive cases had increased by 3,509.

The current total positive cases of Covid-19 in Indonesia so far reached 278,722 cases. 

Recovery cases increased by 3,856 cases, summing up to 206,870 recoveries.

Death cases added 87 cases, totaling to 10,473 deaths.

The three provinces with the highest positive cases are Jakarta (898), West Java (489), and Central Java (304).

The three provinces with the highest recovery rates are Jakarta with 1,328 cases, East Java with 378 cases, and West Java with 307 cases. (RRI)

President Joko Widodo instructed to apply the standardized treatment for COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

"I received a report last night from the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee and also from the Minister of Health that all standards for treatment refers to the standards given by the Ministry of Health both in the ICU, in isolation rooms, and in quarantine houses, this is very important," he said at the State Palace in Jakarta, on Monday.

"We hope that the death rate decrease, then the recovery rate will be even better," the President said in a meeting via video conference about the handling of COVID-19 and economic recovery.

The President cited data on COVID-19 cases as of September 27, 2020, which showed the average active cases in Indonesia was 22.46 percent.

"This is slightly lower than the world average of active cases which reached 23.13 percent. We need to continue to improve this number," he said.

When compared with the conditions in August 2020, he said, the death rate due to COVID-19 in Indonesia had now also decreased to 3.77 percent from 4.33 percent.

"If we compare it with the world death rate, we are still slightly higher because the world death rate is 3.01 percent. It is our duty to push back the mortality rate in our country," Jokowi said.

Meanwhile, the recovery rate for COVID-19 patients in Indonesia is on average 73.76 percent, still lower than the global recovery rate 73.85 percent.

As of Sunday, about 275,213 people in Indonesia are active with the virus, 203,014 patients have recovered and 10,386 are dead. (Antaranews)

Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate shed light on five main agendas of his ministry to aid in boosting digital transformation, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"During this pandemic, nearly every activity is based on the telecommunication and telecommunication infrastructure that is reliable," the minister noted while delivering remarks during an event to observe the 75th anniversary of Post and Telecommunication Civic Mission Day here on Monday.

The ministry's five main agendas on accelerating digital transformation in Indonesia comprised increasing access and intensifying digital infrastructure development as well as preparing a digital transformation road map in strategic sectors.

The third agenda targets expediting data center integration while the fourth agenda pertains to the availability of digital talent in Indonesia. The last agenda aims to prepare regulations as well as financing and funding schemes.

Moreover, the government is focused on developing digital talent possessing sufficient and sustainable capabilities and formulating primary legislation, he explained.

In addition to working on boosting digital transformation, the ministry is striving to increase the Internet ratio in Indonesia by conducting equitable and quality infrastructure development.

Speaking in connection with the Personal Data Protection Bill, Plate noted that the political process was still ongoing.

"We are optimistic of it being completed soon, so that the loophole existing in the protection of rights and obligations, as well as duties and responsibilities of the entire state ecosystem, can be addressed by ensuring a sufficient legal force," Plate stated. (Antaranews)

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that so far there have been no reports of serious side effects from the phase III clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac and PT Bio Farma Persero.

"The reports received so far are running smoothly and no reports of serious effects have been obtained. So the point is that it is running smoothly and so far the results are good," Retno said after a virtual limited meeting led by President Joko Widodo, at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.

Retno said that the Sinovac Biotech team, a pharmaceutical company from China, had directly reviewed the implementation of the phase III vaccine clinical trial in Bandung.

"On 20-24 September the Sinovac expert team visited Bandung, to review the Bio Farma vaccine production site and at the same time observe the implementation of phase III clinical trials that are being carried out in Bandung and its surroundings," she said.

Retno said Bio Farma has prepared two buildings for the production of the Sinovac vaccine and the production of other vaccine candidates.

"The Sinovac delegations visited buildings 21 and 43. Building 21 will be used for Sinovac vaccine production, while 43 for site production of candidate vaccines through multilateral mechanisms, and other vaccine candidates," she said.

The state-owned company also increased its vaccine production capacity from 100 million doses to 250 million doses.

Retno said that the Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) will also visit the Sinovac facility in Beijing, China, to inspect the vaccine development site.

"This is part of being careful in preparing vaccines for use in Indonesia," he said.

The third clinical trial of the Sinovac vaccine has started since August 2020 involving 1,620 volunteers.

If the clinical trial of this vaccine is successful, and the results are declared safe by the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM), the vaccine can be mass-produced and distributed. (Antaranews)