"The top five highest increases in COVID-19 cases have been found in the provinces of Jakarta, Central Java, West Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java," task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito informed at an online press conference that ANTARA joined from Jakarta on Tuesday.
The sixth biggest contributor to the latest COVID-19 surge has been Banten province, he added.
The six provinces, which are all located on Java Island, have recorded between four hundred and seven thousand cases this week, he disclosed.
The post Eid al-Fitr COVID-19 surge has been observed in Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, and Banten as they received homebound travelers during this year's Eid holiday season, he said.
Jakarta, too, is facing an increase in cases due to homeward-bound travelers, he added.
The government and communities must pay serious attention to this worrisome situation, he said and urged regional governments to implement control strategies.
"Our focus is how to control the case surge in the hardest-hit regions, and to (ensure people) comply with health protocols and mobility restrictions for domestic and overseas trips," Adisasmito said.
Over the past few days, the Jakarta provincial government has recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has attributed the recent spike in coronavirus infections in the capital city to the Eid al-Fitr holidays.
There has been a 50-percent increase in infections, with the number of COVID-19 cases rising to 17,400 on June 11, 2021 from 11,500 on June 6, 2021, he noted.
The COVID-19 positivity rate also increased to 17 percent on Sunday from 9 percent the previous week.
The number of specimens tested at laboratories also rose eight-fold, as against the WHO-prescribed four-fold increase, he noted.
As a precautionary measure, the Jakarta provincial government has prepared 2,500 beds at the Nagrak low-cost apartments in Cilincing neighborhood of North Jakarta for COVID-19 patients.
The Nagrak apartments will only be used if the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran emergency hospital continues to receive new COVID-19 patients, Baswedan said on Monday.
Currently, the Jakarta provincial administration is prioritizing the Wisma Atlet emergency hospital for receiving COVID-19 patients, said Baswedan.
He also urged Jakartans to not undermine the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. (INE)
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Indra AP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
