Jakarta sees record-high 1,114 new COVID-19 cases following long weekends

 In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, the administration said that most of the new infections were suspected to have occurred during the recent long weekends for Independence Day (Aug. 15 to 17) and Islamic New Year (Aug. 20 to 23). 

Dwi Oktavia, the Jakarta Health Agency's head of disease control and prevention division, said that 70 percent of Sunday’s positive cases were tested on Aug. 24 and 25. She added that based on an average incubation period of six days, most of the infections would have taken place between Aug. 16 and 17.

“The number of samples taken [for testing] on Aug. 27 was also quite high, so we should consider the effect of long weekends two weeks in a row,” Dwi said in the statement. “Both the government and the public need to be vigilant given this rising trend of cases.”

She said that 57 percent of the new cases were detected through tracing conducted by community health centers (Puskesmas), adding that on average, for every one person who tested positive, six close contacts were tested.

“The Jakarta administration will continue to pursue testing, tracing and treatment to respond to this outbreak,” she said. “But the public also needs to understand that really putting an end to this requires all of us to exercise restraint.”

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced on Thursday that he would implement another 14-day extension of the transition period for the gradual easing of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), effective Friday.

Despite the continued surge in new cases, Anies is set to go ahead with his plan to reopen the city’s movie theaters after receiving the green light from the national COVID-19 task force.

According to the Jakarta administration’s data, the capital had recorded 39,280 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,186 deaths as of Sunday. (kmt)