Based on observations from the Ministry of Health, last week, there were 126 districts/cities with increasing cases, some of which had increased for three weeks in a row
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has attributed the rise in COVID-19 cases in the past three weeks to face-to-face learning in schools (PTM) and condolence visits.



"Based on observations from the Ministry of Health, last week, there were 126 districts/cities with increasing cases, some of which had increased for three weeks in a row," he said at a press conference on community mobility restrictions (PPKM) evaluation on Monday.



An in-depth investigation by the Health Ministry revealed condolence visits and face-to-face learning in schools as the reasons for the increase in coronavirus infections, he informed.


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The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology have sought consolidation to resolve the problem by the end of this week, Sadikin informed.



The consolidation will encourage more proactive surveillance to allow face-to-face learning to continue to be run, he said.



During a limited meeting attended by ministers and President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Monday, Minister Sadikin conveyed a number of directions from the President for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, especially ahead of Christmas and the New Year.


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"Mr. President has conveyed that COVID-19 cases have decreased, but we must be extra vigilant, especially ahead of Christmas and the New Year. We (must) try to avoid the third wave in that period," he said.



The limited meeting also emphasized five provinces in Java with a sloping number of cases, he said. However, the indication of increased cases in other provinces must continue to be closely monitored, Sadikin added.



"President Jokowi has also directed that schools that carry out face-to-face learning must be monitored. If there are indications of cases increasing, we must take action to curb the spread of the virus," Minister Sadikin remarked.


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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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