TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The COVID-19 Management Task Force reported a 5.23% increase in coronavirus disease cases after the Eid al-Fitr holiday. The report was submitted to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in private session today, May 24, 2021.

“The number of active cases as of May 23 is up 5.23% from the number last week,” said Airlangga Hartarto, chairman of the COVID-19 Management Committee and the National Economic Recovery Committee.

The country’s daily case, he pointed out, has seen a slight upward trend to around 5,000 cases per day after previously dropping to 3,800-4,000. Airlangga said the increase in the number of domestic active cases should also be monitored, although the trend declined by 47% as of February 5.

“What needs to be watched is the trend over the next four to five weeks because, for example, the highest increase in the number of cases after the Christmas and New Years holidays was on February 5. So we have to watch [cases] in the next four to five weeks, ”Airlangga said.

Based on the data, 56.4 percent of active cases were on the island of Java and 21.3 percent on the island of Sumatra. Meanwhile, the regions that contributed 65% of the active cases were West Java, Jakarta, Papua, Central Java and Riau.

“Thirty-one point four percent of active cases are in West Java. You have to take that into account, ”said Airlangga.

The Minister for the Coordination of Economic Affairs also mentioned ten provinces that have recorded an increase in COVID-19 cases, viz. Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau Island, Jakarta, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), North Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Maluku and North Maluku.

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EGI ADYATAMA