Based on the World Health Organization (WHO standards), COVID-19 transmission rate in Indonesia is still at Level 1, while in some provinces such as Jakarta, it is already at Level 3Jakarta (ANTARA) - The transmission rate of COVID-19 in Jakarta has reached Level 3, while overall, the rate in Indonesia is still at Level 1, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has said.
"Based on the World Health Organization (WHO standards), COVID-19 transmission rate in Indonesia is still at Level 1, while in some provinces such as Jakarta, it is already at Level 3," he informed after attending a limited meeting held to evaluate community activity restrictions (PPKM) here on Monday.
Another province that has recorded Level 2 COVID-19 transmission is Banten, he added.
The level of community transmission refers to the COVID-19 transmission level recorded in a certain environment along with community spread, Sadikin informed.
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Although the transmission rate in Jakarta is quite high, the number of hospitalizations among COVID-19 patients and fatalities is still very low as per WHO standards, the minister noted.
"And we need to convey that in percentage terms, the highest deaths are (among) people who have not been vaccinated or who have only been vaccinated once, while those who have been vaccinated twice have shown a significant decrease in mortality," he revealed.
In addition, the mortality rate among patients exposed to COVID-19 who have received booster vaccines is also low. Therefore, during the limited meeting, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) directed his staff to increase booster vaccination coverage.
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"President Jokowi had directed us to expedite booster vaccinations for the public. Therefore, we ask the public to immediately seek COVID-19 booster vaccines in an effort to protect themselves from infection," Sadikin said.
During the meeting, he reported to President Widodo that Indonesia has continued to record an increase in COVID-19 cases.
"Indonesia has a similar case with India, where the increase is not so fast but slowly rising steadily, and we have not seen the peak reach quickly as happened in other countries," he said.
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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