According to a statement received here on Monday, although the number of confirmed positive cases fell, the number of deaths rose to 82 as of 12 p.m. local time on Monday, the highest toll recorded since October 4, 2021, when the number of fatalities was recorded at 88.
Jakarta reported the highest daily deaths of 38 on Monday, followed by Central Java (10) and Bali (9). Cumulatively, the total number of deaths since the pandemic began in Indonesia reached 144,636, the task force said.
Jakarta logged the most daily cases at 12,682, followed by West Java (5,047), Banten (3,194), East Java (1,339), and Bali (1,172). The total number of confirmed cases since March 2020 reached 4,542,601.
Meanwhile, recoveries rose by 8,577, bringing the total to 4,191,604. Jakarta reported the most recoveries at 4,581, followed by East Java (1,310), Banten (1,263), and West Java (620).
Further, the number of specimens examined in laboratories touched 285,789. Based on the examination of the specimens, 10,234 suspected cases were identified, the task force said.
The number of active cases increased by 17,462, to reach 206,361, it added.
According to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the number of Omicron cases in three provinces—Jakarta, Banten, and Bali—surpassed the number of infections recorded during the Delta wave in June–August 20221.
"We confirm that now there are 3 provinces where the number of cases has exceeded the number of cases recorded in the last Delta (wave); those are Jakarta, (with) the number of cases reaching 15,800, whereas the previous peak of (cases in) Jakarta was (recorded at) 14,600," he informed at a virtual press conference here on Monday.
"Second being Banten province, which has 14,800 cases, even though (during the 2021) Delta outbreak, the highest number was 13,900; and the third is Bali, (where) the number of cases has reached 2,000, while the highest during the Delta wave was 1,900 cases," he elaborated.
Of the daily cases in the three provinces, 30–50 percent were hospitalized, the minister added.
"So, what I want to say (is), there is no need to panic upon seeing the high number of cases because it is very important for the public to understand that the number of cases will rise high. In other countries, the number of cases is 2–3 times (than cases during) the delta (strain). The important thing is that we continue to follow the health protocols," the minister said.
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Translator: Asep F, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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