VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Coronavirus illustration. Shuttertstock

Johns Hopkins University statistical data put Indonesia in the 23rd position among 188 countries on the global list of countries with confirmed Covid-19 cases.

Cited from the university’s official page on Sunday, August 23, Indonesia has 153,535 positive cases. The figure contributed 0.66 percent of the global tally that reached 23,360,775.

On the COVID-19 mortality rate, meanwhile, Indonesia ranked 19th as it recorded 6,680 fatalities or 0.82 percent of the global death toll at 805,765.

The data also noted the global ranking for the virus recovery rate and put Indonesia in the 23rd position with 107,500 patients made a complete recovery, contributing 0.71 percent to the global figure of 14,975,529. 

The United States of America was reported as the country with the highest number of  Covid-19 cases (5,678,249), followed by Brazil with 3,582,362 cases, India with 3,044,940 cases, Russia with 954,328 cases, and South Africa with 607,045 cases.

The highest death toll was also recorded in the US reaching 175,489, while the highest recovery rate was made by Brazil with 2,919,647 people. (Tempo.co)

The government is committed to accelerating a “national digital transformation” through five priority programs, including establishing and extending the geographic coverage of 4G services nationwide within the next two years, Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said on Saturday.

“By the end of 2022 at the latest, 4G services will be available across the country which will enable all citizens to migrate and shift into a digital society era,” Johnny said during a public discussion in Jakarta on Saturday.

Some 12,500 villages and subdistricts across the country currently do not have reliable access to the internet, he said.

“We will increase the ratio of internet access nationwide, decrease disparity of internet access between regions and [establish] a fast internet connection.”

Johnny also vowed to develop the public’s digital literacy, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as farmers and fishermen.

Previously, the ministry collaborated with more than 100 communities in the country to carry out digital literacy programs nationwide to educate the public on staying safe while navigating the digital world and understanding the signs of online fraud. According to the Global World Digital Competitiveness Index, which uses digital literacy as one of its indicators, Indonesia ranks 56th out of 63 countries in 2019, despite having 175.4 million internet users. (Jakarta Post)

Domestic tourists visited Situ Bagendit in Banyuresmi, Garut District of West Java on Friday (Aug 21, 2020). ANTARA/Candra Yanuarsyah/sh

The West Java administration has intensified the implementation of health protocols to contain COVID-19 transmission in tourist destinations as the number of visitors has increased during long week-end.

Head of the province's Tourism and Culture Office Dedi Taufik said here on Sunday, tourism sector in the province has begun to revive since the government imposed policies to adapt with the new normalcy.

"We are still collecting data on the number of visitors to West Java. But, there were crowding in some tourist destinations, especially in the long weekend," Taufik said.

According to Taufik, hotel occupancy in West Java has reached 40 to 50 percent. "One thing that we need to underline is that all hotels and tourist destinations must adhere to health protocols and reduce its capacity."

The provincial government would work closely with local administrations to ensure that tourism operators and tourists have applied health protocols.

"We have to keep on alert and put forward (implementation) of health protocols to avoid new cluster of COVID-19," he added.

The province's COVID-19 task force has continued to promote sanction for violators of the health protocols in tourist destination and the use of SiCaplang application to record the violation.

Under a Gubernatorial Regulation, those who violate the health protocols would be fined Rp100,000 for individuals and Rp500,000 for businesses and institutions.

All fines are given on a three-strike system. First, individuals/institutions be given a written/verbal warning, second, administrative recording and third they will be fined. (ANTARA)

Yogyakarta airport train at the Tugu Station in Yogyakarta. ANTARA/Eka AR/sh

State railway company PT KAI (Persero) has resumed the operation of airport train to Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) on Sunday, after it was suspended for five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As of August 31, there are four scheduled trips to YIA every day," a spokesman of PT KAI's Regional Operation 6 Yogyakarta Eko Budiyanto said in Yogyakarta on Sunday.

The train will depart at 8:35 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. from Yogyakarta train station to its final destination in Kebumen, Central Java, with two stops at Wates and Wojo train stations.

Passengers to YIA could stop at Wojo Station and take an airport bus to reach the airport.

From Kebumen, the train will depart at 10:23 a.m. and 05:40 p.m. to Yogyakarta train station.

"This is a local train hence no need for passengers to have COVID-19 rapid test with non-reactive result," he said.

In addition to the airport train, PT KAI has also resumed the operation of some long-distance trains departed from Yogyakarta station.

Among the trains are Jaka Tingkir routing Purwosari-Pasar Senen (Jakarta), Progo routing Lempuyangan (Yogyakarta)-Pasar Senen (Jakarta), Lodaya routing Solo Balapan (Central Java)-Bandung (West Java), Argo Lawu routing Solo Balapan-Gambir (Jakarta), Gajahwong routing Lempuyangan (Yogyakarta)-Pasar Senen, and Taksaka routing Yogyakarta-Gambir (Jakarta).

"We are also preparing some long-distance trains to anticipate this long week-end," he said, adding that tickets and train schedules could be accessed through KAI Access application or its official website www.kai.id.

According to Budiyanto, Yogyakarta Tugu Station has also provided rapid test service for passengers at an affordable price of Rp85 thousand per person, as long-distance train passengers are required to show non-reactive result of the test.

"We have the commitment to apply stringent health protocols to anticipate the virus transmission," he added.

All passengers must wear mask and face shield, not having fever or body temperature below 37.3 Celcius, maintain physical distancing, and are suggested to wear long sleeves. (ANTARA)