The increase in the number of active cases should draw our attention, particularly after Christmas (2020) and New Year 2021 holidays that will potentially increase the number of casesJakarta (ANTARA) - Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan has extended the transitional period of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to January 17, 2021.
The extension is aimed at thwarting a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases following the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, according to the governor's decision, a copy of which was made available to Antara on Sunday.
In line with the decision, if there is no increase in COVID-19 cases during the period from January 4 to 17, 2021, the extended transitional period of PSBB will remain valid from January 18 to 31, 2021. However, if the number of COVID-19 cases rise, the transitional period of PSBB will be suspended, it stated.
Chief of the Jakarta Health Provincial Office Widyastuti noted that the number of active cases in Jakarta had shown an upward trend based on the accrued data.
The number of active cases in the capital climbed by 18 percent to 15,417 on January 2, 2021, from 13,066 on December 20, 2020.
"The increase in the number of active cases should draw our attention, particularly after the Christmas (2020) and New Year’s 2021 holidays that will potentially lead to an increase the number of cases," Widyastuti noted in a written statement.
Related news: Jakarta again extends social distancing measures until Dec 6, 2020
The COVID-19 mortality rate has also been a matter of grave concern following a significant rise in the number of people succumbing to the infection to reach 3,334 as compared to 3,087 two weeks ago.
In addition, the daily use of beds at isolation rooms and intensive care units (ICU) at 88 referral hospitals in Jakarta tended to increase, although the Jakarta administration has raised the number of beds to 7,379 on January 2, 2021, from 6,663 on December 20, 2020, she remarked.
Jakarta's daily COVID-19 recoveries reached 2,269 on Saturday, thereby taking the total recovery count to 168,781 since the pandemic hit the Indonesian capital.
The total recoveries constitute for almost 90 percent of the total positive cases at 187,586, according to data from the Jakarta provincial government published on its official website corona.jakarta.go.id.
Related news: As infections spike, Jakarta prioritizes health over recovery
With the addition of 1,895 fresh cases in a span of 24 hours ending on Saturday afternoon, the total COVID-19 case count rose to 187,586, from 185,691 earlier.
The addition of new cases was the combination of 1,347 positive cases confirmed from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab testing held on Friday (Jan 1) and 548 positive cases recorded from the result of examination at two private laboratories from December 28 to 30 last year.
On January 1, 2021, PCR testing was conducted on 9,571 specimens, of which 7,812 were tested to diagnose new cases, with 1,347 testing positive and 6,465 testing negative for COVID-19.
The data also shows 14,471 of the 187,586 positive cases being active cases or patients undergoing treatment at hospitals or conducting self-isolation. Meanwhile, 3,334 people died of the infection, or 1.8 percent of the total positive cases.
Related news: Baswedan confirms 100 COVID-19 referral hospitals in Jakarta
Translator: Fauzi/Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
