Breaking 100,000 Active Cases, Jakarta Prepares Emergency Scenarios

Kompas/AGUS SUSANTO

Health worker wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in the Covid-19 rapid test at a community health center (Puskesmas) Duren Sawit Sub-district, East Jakarta, Tuesday (28/4/2020). Large-scale social restrictions or PSBB in DKI Jakarta are considered to have a positive impact.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Active cases of COVID-19 in Jakarta as of Thursday (8/7/2021) reached 102,082 people. The Jakarta administration has responded by implementing emergency response scenarios.

Data from the Jakarta Health Office shows that from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of 26,789 people on Thursday, 12,974 people tested positive for COVID-19. With this additional number of positive confirmed cases, active cases in Jakarta are now 102,082 people who are being treated or are self-isolating.

Also read:

> Health Facilities Limited, Self-Mitigation During Isolation Increasingly Important

> Mutual Discipline to Prevent Worst-Case Scenario

The Jakarta administration has asked the public to continue strictly implementing and obeying health protocols. Based on observations in the field, violations were still found.

"It takes cooperation to break the chain of transmission," said Dwi Oktavia, the head of disease prevention and control at the Jakarta Health Office.

This prediction referred to the number of active cases, which has doubled since June 16.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, in a recent briefing with his staff, predicted the possibility of active cases breaking through the 100,000 mark on July 6-10. This prediction referred to the number of active cases, which has doubled since June 16.

Active cases crossed the 100,000 mark on Wednesday. As of Thursday, the bed occupancy rate in intensive care units (ICU) was around 94 percent and isolation units 92 percent.

According to Anies, scenarios for handling emergency conditions must be carried out. The Jakarta administration has prepared for these conditions, including class A hospitals that are fully dedicated to serve as COVID-19 ICUs. The Wisma Atlet emergency hospital is devoted to the treatment of patients with moderate to severe symptoms and apartments are used as controlled isolation facilities for patients with mild symptoms.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The orange troops lowered the table in readiness for the isolation of COVID-19 asymptomatic people (OTG) at the Nagrak Flats, Cilincing, North Jakarta, Friday (6/18/2021).

In addition, indoor stadiums and large convention buildings have been converted to critical case emergency hospitals to be run under the management of Wisma Atlet.

To support the scenarios, there must be enough health workers and may necessitate bringing in extra staff from outside Jakarta. In addition, efforts are made to provide oxygen, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical equipment and medicine.

Population mobility

According to the COVID-19 task force, the decline in people’s mobility during the implementation of emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM) had not reached 50 percent.

"Various indicators and data on people’s mobility have not shown a decline of 50 percent, a figure we must achieve to reduce transmission," said Communications and Information Ministry spokesman Dedy Permadi in an online press statement.

Also read:

> Together We Obey ‘PPKM Darurat’

> Task Force Tracking Violators of PPKM Darurat

The spokesman for the COVID-19 task force, Wiku Adisasmito, on the same occasion, explained the changes in essential and critical sectors during PPKM Darurat. In the critical sector, the health and security field can implement a 100 percent work-from-office (WFO) policy with strict health protocols. Production and service activities in the fields of energy, logistics, food and beverages, petrochemicals, building materials, national strategic vital objects, national strategic projects, construction and basic utilities can also implement a 100 percent WFO strategy. However, operational support offices in these sectors can stay open at 25 percent capacity.

Especially for export-oriented industries, operational support offices can have a WFO capacity of 10 percent.

Essential sectors, such as banking and finance, capital markets, payment systems, technology and communications, hospitality and export-oriented industries can conduct WFO at a maximum of 50 percent capacity with strict health protocols. Especially for export-oriented industries, operational support offices can have a WFO capacity of 10 percent.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Residents cross the sidewalk on Jalan Sudirman, South Jakarta, Tuesday (6/7/2021). The government estimates that people\'s mobility needs to be reduced by 50 percent to reduce the rate of transmission of Covid-19.

This rule is tightened as the rate of additional of cases continues to set records. On Thursday, 38,391 new cases were recorded. In addition, 852 people died and 21,185 people recovered.

Apart from PPKM Darurat implemented in Java and Bali, microscale PPKM is also requested to be applied strictly in 43 regencies/cities outside Java and Bali. The acting caretaker of the Director General of Regional Administration of the Home Affairs Ministry, Suhajar Diantoro, explained that Home Affairs Ministerial Instruction No. 17/2021, which came into effect on July 6, stipulates that the microscale PPKM is applied to all regencies/cities outside Java-Bali. However, specifically for the 43 red zone regencies/cities, the policy is tightened and is similar to PPKM Darurat.

Thus far, the addition of cases outside Java-Bali is quite significant. Wiku said that in measuring the indicators, there were several provinces that experienced a high spike in cases and the hospital occupancy rate was above 65 percent. These regions include Lampung (81 percent), Riau Islands (77 percent), East Kalimantan (74 percent), West Papua (73 percent), West Kalimantan (75 percent), South Sumatra (69 percent), Bengkulu (66 percent) and West Sumatra (65 percent).

In a number of regions, efforts to reduce the mobility of residents were carried out by closing a number of roads. In Malang, East Java, the city government closed a number of access roads to the area. In Banyumas regency, Central Java, several main roads in Purwokerto were completely closed until Tuesday (20/7). (20/7). ( HLN/ INA/ COK/ DIA/ NIK/ ETA/DIT/ DKA/ HRS/ TAM/ CHE/ IKI)

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).