The daily rate of COVID-19 cases in Jakarta has slowed down for the past six days, according to the head of Indonesia’s national task force for COVID-19.
“We hope there won’t be too many cases of COVID-19 in the future,” Doni Monardo said in a press conference on Monday (27 April).
Doni attributed the slowdown to the implementation of large-scale social distancing measures (PSBB) in the capital city, which began on 10 April and was recently extended until 22 May.
The measure orders the closure of entertainment hubs, education institutions, and offices.
Certain essential sectors such as healthcare and groceries, however, are allowed to operate during the social distancing.
In the second phase of PSBB, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that his administration will impose harsher sanctions on those violating the PSBB in a bit to contain the pandemic.
Facts about COVID-19 cases in Jakarta
Based on data from the Jakarta administration, the number of daily confirmed cases dropped to 65 on 26 April from 167 new cases on 21 April. However, the daily toll of new infections rose to 86 on 27 April.
The highest number of new cases in the capital city during the PSBB period was 223 on 16 April. The rate fell again the next day to 153 and to 79 on 18 April.
As of 28 April, Jakarta has recorded 3,950 confirmed cases, with 379 deaths and 341 cases in recovery so far.
Did the PSBB measure decrease the numbers of COVID-19 new patients?
While it may be true that the declining number of new confirmed cases per day is related to the PSBB measures, it is too early to definitively say so, as the measure will be extended until 22 May with stricter sanctions.
A Central Jakarta resident told a TOC correspondent that Jakarta was still crowded on Monday (27 April).
“It was a bit emptier in the first days of the PSBB, but when I was on the way here, many cars were still seen on the roads,” he spoke to the correspondent.
Governor Anies told journalists that if the numbers of new COVID-19 patients decrease in the second period of the PSBB, he would likely end the measure.
“If one day, the numbers of patients under treatment (PDP) decrease, the daily death rates in Jakarta will follow, and we will back to normal life. We hope this will happen soon,” he said.
Separately, Malaysia and Singapore have extended their movement control order and circuit breaker measures until 12 May and 1 June respectively.
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