"For ensuring effectiveness in handling COVID-19 while we conduct vaccinations in parallel, (the micro-scale PPKM) had been extended from March 23 to April 5 and expanded to five other areas, such as South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara," Hartarto, concurrently the coordinating minister for economy, noted during a virtual press conference held to discuss the micro-scale PPKM here on Friday.
The minister expounded that the micro-scale PPKM was extended after being found effective in reducing the rate of active cases, both in terms of quantity and percentage.
"Implementation of PPKM has suppressed the rising number and percentage of active cases that dropped significantly since the highest active cases on February 5, 2021. The number of active cases decreased by 25.42 percent or as many as 44,919 cases," he stated.
Furthermore, Airlangga witnessed improvements in COVID-19 control indicators, such as bed and ICU occupancy rate, recoveries, and the death rate in 10 provinces that imposed micro-scale PPKM along with adherence to health protocols.
The minister expounded that micro-scale PPKM was expanded to five provinces since the active case rate had surpassed the national average, the recovery rate was below the national average, and death rate was higher than the national average, while the hospital or isolation room occupancy rate was also above 70 percent.
In the meantime, a consistent declining trend was observed in active cases and deaths related to COVID-19 in Indonesia over the past month. As of March 18, the number of active cases fell by 3.83 percent as compared to February 15, while the number of deaths also decreased by 0.02 percent.
Meanwhile, the trend of recovered cases was recorded to have increased by 3.84 percent from that of the previous month.
Currently, 15 provinces have implemented micro-scale PPKM: North Sumatra, Banten, West Java, DKI Jakarta, Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, East Kalimantan, and South Sulawesi along with five additional provinces such as South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara. Related news: Micro-restrictions bring marked decline in COVID-19 cases
Related news: Micro-scale PPKM effectively works to stem COVID-19 spread: KPC-PEN
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Kuntum Khaira Riswan, Katriana
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
