Jakarta (ANTARA) - Governor Anies Baswedan stressed on the pivotal role of inter-institutional and inter-regional cross-sectoral and integral policies in ably battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta.

Furthermore, the governor highlighted that on the basis of data so far, a link could be drawn between positive cases in Jakarta and the adjoining areas that influence one another according to the laboratory test data since positive cases not only constitute DKI Jakarta residents but also those residing around Jakarta's buffer area.

"In December, for instance, 63,742 positive cases were found by the lab in Jakarta, 26 percent of which were the residents of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi (Bodetabek). Similarly, in terms of health facilities in Jakarta, some 24-27 percent of the patients treated at Jakarta’s health facilities are residents outside Jakarta, especially Bodetabek," Baswedan noted during a video recording in Jakarta on Saturday.

The DKI provincial government has expressed support owing to the close relations between Jakarta and the buffer areas with regard to the policy of Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) in Java and Bali, including Jakarta, on January 11-25, 2021.

Related news: Follow health protocols as health workers reel from exhaustion: Anies

"Hence, we strongly support the central government's decision to tighten social restrictions integrally in the Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) area and also several other areas in Java and Bali. Hence, now we can impose symmetrical restrictions together," he remarked.

The DKI Jakarta provincial government issued Governor Regulation (Pergub) Number 3 of 2021 that mandates the tightening of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) from Monday (Jan 11) to January 25, 2021, in order to follow up on the central government’s directive to suppress cases of exposure to COVID-19.

The central government's directive is a policy announced by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, concurrently Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery, Airlangga Hartarto, on Wednesday that declares a tightening of activities in several cities of Java and Bali, including Jakarta.

"This decision is also driven by the COVID-19 situation in Jakarta in recent times that has tended to be worrisome. We are currently at the point of the highest active cases at around 17,383. Active cases are the number of people, who are currently positive for COVID-19 and have not been declared cured, both those treated in health facilities and in independent isolation," Baswedan remarked. Related news: Jakarta and 23 districts, cities to face tighter COVID-19 restrictions



Translator: Ricky P, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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