The Indonesian government spokesman for COVID-19 handling Achmad Yurianto has warned of an increased trend of asymptomatic persons (OTG) testing positive for the coronavirus.

"Initially, we defined the classical spread (of the virus) carried by people with symptoms of high body temperature of more than 38 degrees Celsius, cough, and shortness of breath. But in its development, such condition has not become a specific symptom of COVID-19 infection," Yurianto said in a press conference held by the Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling here on Sunday.

The government, he noted, has found more people tested positive for COVID-19 in a PCR test but showed only mild symptoms or sometimes with no symptoms.

OTGs would not show any symptoms such as fever and cough and they look healthy. If they appear in a crowd without masks, then they might transmit the virus to many people, including vulnerable groups.

"This has become one of the factors increasing the number of  COVID-19 cases in Indonesia," he stressed.

He called on the public to wear masks as self-protection, wash hands with soap frequently, restricting outdoor activities, and avoid crowds.

"This has become important because we never know who is the OTG out there, those who carry the virus, and did not show any symptoms," Yurianto said.

As of Sunday, the task force has recorded 14,032 positive cases of COVID-19 across the country, with 2,698 recoveries and 973 deaths. (ANTARA)

Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran, Jakarta

The Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran on Saturday morning treated a total of 662 inpatients, rising from 23 on the previous day.

"The number of COVID-19 patients increased by 23, from 639 to reach 662," Vice Admiral Yudo Margono, head of the Wisma Atlet Hospital, and concurrently commander of the Joint Regional Defense Command I, noted in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

The number of inpatients under surveillance (PDP) also increased by two, from 59 to reach 61 people.

The number of patients under monitoring (ODP) remained unchanged at 106.

Hence, the total number of inpatients at Wisma Atlet Hospital increased by 25, from 858 on the previous day, to 883 on Saturday.

"Currently, there are 883 inpatients comprising 577 men and 306 women," Margono noted.

The emergency hospital, formerly an athlete village, was officially inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on March 23, 2020, to function as a COVID-19 emergency hospital. The hospital has the capacity to accommodate 12 thousand patients.

The total number of patients treated at Wisma Atlet Hospital has until now reached 2,119, while 94 patients were referred to other hospitals.

A total of 962 patients were discharged and had undergone self-isolation. Some 24 others had left the hospital at their own request, while three people had died.

Meanwhile, the Galang Island Emergency Hospital, Riau Islands, is presently treating 19 patients that had contracted the COVID-19 infection.

The 19 inpatients comprised four crew members of MV Kelud; six Indian males, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation; as well as eight Indonesian men and a woman, who had also participated in the same congregation.

Achmad Yurianto, the government's spokesman for COVID-19 response, stated that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia as of Friday (May 8) at 12:00 WIB, increased by 336 cases, to reach 13,112 cases, while 2,494 people had recovered, and 943 people succumbed to the disease. (ANTARA)

Illustration: An officer scans a passenger’s body temperature at Terminal 1 of the Soekarno Hatta Airport. (ANTARA FOTO/MUHAMMAD IQBAL)

Airports under the management of PT Angkasa Pura II have implemented new procedures for departures, under which, passengers would have to report at the airports three to four hours before their flights depart.

The new procedures are being enforced at all airports managed by PT Angkasa Pura II, in accordance with the situations and conditions on the field, director of operations and services of PT Angkasa Pura II, Muhamad Wasid, said in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday.

"The new procedures for the departure process are being implemented to ensure that the requirements stipulated in letter number 4 of 2020 from the Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling, as well as letter number 31 of 2020 from the Directorate General of Air Transportation from the Ministry of Transportation, are met," he stated.

He said the new procedures are being strictly followed to the last detail. Passengers are being requested to be present at the airport three to four hours before the scheduled departure.

"The new procedures could be implemented as the result of intensive coordination among all airport stakeholders, such as the Port Health Office, the military and police forces, airport authorities, airlines, and other parties," Muhamad Wasid noted.

At the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, new procedures have also been implemented for passengers taking domestic flights during the Eid holiday period, when people have been barred from traveling to their hometowns.

The government has permitted rescheduled domestic commercial flights, starting May 7, 2020, to address COVID-19 in Indonesia.

Passengers will be allowed to travel after they meet a number of conditions, as stated in Circular Letter (SE) Number 4 of 2020 concerning Criteria for Limiting Travel for Persons in Order to Accelerate Handling of COVID-19, issued by the task force.

PT Angkasa Pura II airports are implementing the new procedures for passenger departures in line with the decision on the opening of flights. (ANTARA)

As of Saturday, Jakarta has recorded a total of 4,958 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, an increase of 57 compared to the previous day’s case count.

"Of the total, 2,312 patients are still undergoing treatment at hospitals. Meanwhile, 1,442 people are isolating independently at home," head of the Jakarta Health Office, Widyastuti, said in Jakarta on Saturday.

As many as 767 people have recovered from the infection, accounting for about 15 percent of the total cases. Meanwhile, the number of patient deaths has reached 437, accounting for 8.8 percent of the total cases, as of Saturday. The death toll has climbed by 6 from 431 recorded the previous day.

So far, the Jakarta COVID-19 Task Force has recorded 1,750 asymptomatic cases (OTGs). A total of 7,799 people were placed under monitoring (ODP), but later, 7,551 turned out to be negative for COVID-19, and currently, only 248 people are being monitored.

The task force has also recorded a total of 6,355 patients under surveillance (PDP), of whom, 5,282 have been discharged from hospital, while 1,073 are undergoing treatment.

A total of 84,824 people have undergone rapid tests, and of them, 3,358 have been found reactive to COVID-19 and 81,466 have been declared negative.

Cumulatively, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been conducted on a total of 78,579 samples in Jakarta as of May 8, 2020. On Friday (May 8), 1,091 people underwent diagnostic tests in the capital city.

The Jakarta administration, in cooperation with various NGOs and donors, has distributed hundreds of thousands of food packages to people affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Jakarta has continued to step up diagnostic testing of people in its five municipalities and one district to prevent the spread of the virus.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had issued Governor Regulation No. 33 of 2020 on imposing large-scale social distancing measures (PSBB) in the capital, effective from April 10, 2020, after obtaining approval from the Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto.

The Indonesian capital was the first city in the country to impose large-scale social restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease, according to Anies. (ANTARA)