The Indonesian government has extended the implementation of public activity restrictions (PPKM) in all regions in the country after the Eid al-Fitr period despite no exponential spike in COVID-19 cases recorded.

“We implement the extension of PPKM in all regions in Indonesia. Substantially, there are several adjustments,” Director General of Regional Administration at the Ministry of Home Affairs Safrizal noted here on Tuesday.

The adjustments include changes in PPKM levels in several regions, change in the operating hours of restaurants, and lift of COVID-19 requirements in several activities in Java and Bali.

Safrizal noted that after the 2022 Eid holiday, an increase in COVID-19 cases occurred, yet the graph is still low, and no spike in cases had occurred.

To this end, the Ministry of Home Affairs continues to monitor the pandemic situation and evaluate the implementation of PPKM in all regions in Indonesia.

Safrizal explained that after the extension of PPKM in Java-Bali, the number of regions that implement level 1 PPKM decreased, from 29 to 11. Correspondingly, the number of regions that apply level 3 PPKM also decreased, from two to one. Meanwhile, the number of regions that implement level 2 PPKM in Java-Bali increased, from 97 to 116.

Outside Java-Bali, the number of regions that implement level 1 PPKM decreased, from 131 to 88. Moreover, the number of regions applying level 3 PPKM declined, from 39 regions to 22 regions, while regions with level 2 PPKM swelled, from 216 to 276 regions.

“The decrease in regions that implement level 1 PPKM both within and outside Java-Bali has become a warning for all of us that this pandemic has not completely ended yet,” he remarked.

Safrizal urged all regional governments to remain on alert to the potential spike in COVID-19 cases after the Eid al-Fitr holiday period by strengthening testing, tracing, and treatment (3T).

Source: Antara News