August 3, 2021
PPKM extended to August 9; Bali remains under Level 4 restrictions + Peak of Java-Bali cases has passed says health ministry + Govt. should consider vaccinating all foreigners says virologist + more
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Weather & Tides
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Local Covid Numbers
*Note: Bali recorded its highest daily death toll yesterday: 47. Deaths were recorded in all regions, with most in Tabanan (12), followed by Badung and Buleleng (8 respectively), and Denpasar (6). Tabanan is one of 5 of Bali's 9 regions classed as a high-risk red zone.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers. And in case you missed it, check out Sunday’s update for a summary of last week’s overall totals, with perspective on how they stack up against previous weeks, detailed breakdowns of the virus’ spread on a Regency-by-Regency level, and the national task force’s risk assessment for each regency/city across the province.
The Big News
"Indonesia Extends PPKM Restrictions Until August 9" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall): The government has extended the existing multi-tiered public activity restrictions (PPKM) until Aug. 9, claiming that the curbs have contributed to the decline in case numbers and helped ease pressure on hospitals. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said the decision came after policymakers had seen “nationwide improvements” from the current restrictions, with daily COVID-19 cases trending downward and the bed occupancy rate (BOR) in hospitals declining in several regions. Level 4 restrictions are in place in regencies or cities with more than 150 confirmed cases per 100,000 people per week, a hospitalization rate of more than 30 patients per 100,000 people per week, and a mortality rate of more than five deaths per 100,000 people per week. Areas with a positivity rate over 15%, a BOR over 80%, and with tracing capabilities of less than 5 people per COVID-19 case also qualify for level 4 curbs.
Context: All of Bali's 9 regencies/city are included in the extension of PPKM level 4 restrictions until August 9. A list of all level 4 areas in Indonesia can be viewed here.
"Peak of Covid-19 Cases in Java-Bali Has Passed: Health Minister" from Antara: Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the peak in the number of COVID-19 cases in several regions in the islands of Java and Bali has passed. "This is the moment that we should be grateful despite all the strengths and weaknesses that we have," he said. the number of COVID-19 cases in Java and Bali reached its peak on July 15, 2021 with 43,925 cases, but it has declined by 60%. He expressed his gratitude to health workers, regional heads, the army, and the police for their patience and performance during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I know that this is not one hundred percent done, and we need to be careful in accordance with the President's directives," the minister noted. Sadikin explained that the primary strategy to prevent COVID-19 in the world is by not allowing the number of patients who need treatment in hospitals outnumber the capacity of the available facilities. He argued that during a pandemic, nothing is over quickly. Instead, it may even take longer.
Context: Yesterday Indonesia recorded its lowest daily case total (24,404) since June 30 (21,707). Daily fatalities have not decreased as significantly, however. Yesterday's death toll (1,568) is only the lowest since July 26 (1,487). Yesterday Bali recorded 1,044 cases, which is only the lowest since July 25 (990), along with the province’s highest daily fatalities (47). The health minister has said the persistently high death rate, despite a fluctuating daily case figure, was because patients had waited too long to go to a hospital, preventing them from getting optimal treatment.
"Could Bali’s Unvaccinated Visitors Create a New Covid Hotspot?" from Aljazeera: As the Indonesian province that has suffered the most economically as a result of the pandemic with GDP down 9.31 percent last year, Bali has been given priority under Indonesia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan, so the resort island can reopen to international tourism as soon as possible. But there is a glaring gap in the island’s vaccination programme: some 110,000 people – mostly Westerners – who are concentrated in the surf and nightlife hub of Canggu and, while highly mobile and sociable, have little access to vaccines. Infectious disease experts have warned the gap threatens to create a new COVID-19 hotspot at a time when Bali’s hospitals are already capacity. “This is a very worrying situation,” said Dr Dicky Budiman, a virologist who has helped formulate Indonesia’s pandemic response plan for more than 20 years. “You don’t need 110,000 unvaccinated people to create a pocket of infection – 1,000 are enough. Budiman said the Indonesian government “should consider the entire population for vaccination, regardless of their citizenship or visa status to protect the whole community”.
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Other Headlines
"As Covid-19 Ravages Indonesia, Bali's Residents Fear the Island's Economic Crisis Will Only Get Worse" from SBS News: The idle streets, vacant shops, and deserted beaches across Bali are a sobering reminder of how the island has been devastated by the pandemic. The throngs of tourists are long gone, and so too are the jobs that so many rely on. "March last year was a nightmare because I lost my job. Bali had to close a lot of restaurants and hotels," hospitality worker Made Pusparumini said. The 23-year-old had been employed at an award-winning restaurant chain that was popular among tourists. When the pandemic struck she was laid off and, like many others on the island, she has been unable to find a job since. "I'm really worried about Bali and the future because it’s already one and half years that Bali [has been] closed. No tourists, no jobs for anyone." Tourism has driven Bali's prosperity for decades, accounting for roughly 60% of the island's GDP. Bo Holmgreen, the head of local NGO Scholars of Sustenance, says without tourism there are few ways to earn a decent living, and so thousands are going hungry.
Vaccination Update
"Third Covid-19 Shots Only for 1.5 Million Indonesian Health Workers" from Antara: The Indonesian Health Ministry announced on Monday that the third COVID-19 shots or booster vaccination would only be given to 1.5 million health workers who had received the first and second doses. "We urge the public to refrain from compelling vaccinators to give them a third dose of the vaccine. Please consider our limited stocks of vaccines and the other 160 million Indonesians who have yet to get vaccinated," the ministry's spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccination Program Siti Nadia Tarmizi said. “We can use the same or different vaccine platform for the booster program according to the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization’s (ITAGI’s) recommendation. Hence, we have decided to use Moderna's mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccines since they have the highest efficacy than the other vaccines that we currently have," she remarked.
More...
Nation: "Pregnant Women Can Receive Covid-19 Vaccine, These Brands Can be Used" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Nation: "Government Targets Covid-19 Vaccinations for 225,000 People With Disabilities" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "First Phase of Covid-19 Vaccination in Bali Reaches 102%" from Republika (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "4087 Health Workers at Sanglah Hospital Will Be Vaccinated With Third Dose" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Achievements Still Low, Task Force Again Holds Vaccination Festival in Pengambengan Village" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Third Dose of Covid-19 Vaccination for Healthcare Workers in Klungkung Delayed" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
"Bali’s Hospital Bed Occupancy Rate Tops 70%" from Coconuts Bali: Bali’s hospital bed occupancy rate is reportedly still manageable, though beds may be filling up. Of the more than 2,500 beds designated for COVID-19 patients, 71.77% are occupied. Bali’s hospital bed occupancy rate spiked at the onset of the most devastating wave of COVID-19 in July, when it more than doubled to around 65% by the middle of the month compared to late June. The island has been posting record daily infections in late July and into August. At COVID-19 quarantine facilities in Bali, 2,254 beds are occupied while 1,098 are available.
More...
Nation: "Luhut: We Have Prepared 49,000 Central Isolation Beds in Java-Bali" from Kompas (Indonesian)
Badung: "Mangusada Hospital BOR Reaches 100%, Oxygen Stocks Running Low" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Badung: "Badung to Form Covid-19 Tracing and Testing Committee" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Awareness of Wearing Masks Increasing" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Dozens of Klungkung Health Workers Infected, Now Vaccinated Again" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
Nation: "Luhut: Economic Activities Can Be Gradually Opened From September" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Nation: "Expect United for Indonesia Campaign to Revive Economy: Lutfi" from Antara
Nation: "Ireland’s AerCap Withdraws Lawsuit Against Garuda Indonesia" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Province: "Bali Again Experiences Deflation of 0.004%" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Province: "PPKM Full Month, Denpasar Recorded Deflation, Singaraja Inflation" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "Government Distributes 500 Tons of Rice to Bali Residents Affected by Covid-19" from Merdeka (Indonesian)
Bangli: "Dozens of Tons of Fish Carcasses Cause Landfill Overload" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Opens Public Kitchen, Denpasar Mayor Cooks for Residents" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Porter Earnings at Nusa Penida Port in Free Fall" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
"Indonesia Welcomes Over 140,000 Foreign Tourists in June" from Antara: Foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia in June this year touched 140,850, a decline of 10.04% compared to the same period last year, chief of the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Margo Yuwono has said. Compared to May this year, tourist arrivals were down 7.71% in June. Out of the total 140,850 foreign tourists arriving in June, 16,230 entered Indonesia via air, while 34,170 used sea transportation and 90,440 land transportation. The number of tourists from the African region saw the highest increase of 581.97% compared to June 2020. On the other hand, the number of visitors from ASEAN member countries declined 37.86%. Cumulatively, the number of foreign visitors entering Indonesia in January-June 2021 reached 802,380, a drop of 74.33% compared to the same period last year, when tourist arrivals stood at 3.13 million.
Context: As Indonesia has still not ended its suspension on foreign tourists arrivals, the use of the term "tourist" here is misleading. A more accurate term would be "foreign nationals," who are entering with any of the visa categories currently permitted. In the first half of this year, Bali experienced a 99.996% drop in foreign arrivals compared to the same period last year.
"‘Life is Pretty Good’: the Aussies Who Don’t Want to Come Back From Bali" from The Sydney Morning Herald: Michael Lenihan, owner of a foreign investment company on the island, returned to his home town of Melbourne last year when alarm bells rang as the first wave of the virus struck Indonesia. But after seven months in Victoria, the majority in lockdown, he flew back last November. Now, while some expats are appealing for help to get to Australia amid Indonesia’s worst outbreak, Lenihan, who fell ill with COVID-19 in May, is among the large contingent of Australians remaining on Bali who have no desire to leave. Its tourism industry might have been crushed but tens of thousands of foreign nationals are still enjoying the laidback lifestyle on the holiday island, with the added bonus of zipping around on motorcycles in far lighter traffic than usual. Frank Andrews, a Victorian who has been on Bali for 20 years and owns an agency that helps foreigners to obtain visas, says the grim picture painted of life there for expats at the moment doesn’t match reality.
"Greysia, Apriyani Win Indonesia’s First Olympic Women’s Doubles Gold" from The Jakarta Globe: Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu won Indonesia’s first ever Olympic gold in badminton women’s doubles on Monday, completing the country’s success in all categories since the sport became a medal event at Barcelona 1992. It was also the country’s first gold medal in Tokyo 2020 with the chance looking slimmer after Indonesian two men’s doubles pairs failed to advance and Anthony Ginting also lost in the men’s singles semifinal. In earlier Olympics, the best achievement by Indonesian women’s doubles pairs was quarterfinal spots. It took 57 minutes for the Indonesian pair to beat China’s Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan 21-19 21-15 at Musashino Forest Sports Plaza. Greysia said she never expected to triumph in the sport’s biggest stage in the face of the Chinese duo who have beaten her and Apriyani six times in nine previous encounters. “To be honest I still cannot believe that we are now Olympic champions. We only focused on winning every point we could, although we really wanted to write history in Indonesian badminton,” a jubilant Greysia said.
"On the Run for 10 Years, German National Caught in Fraud Case Finally Surrenders" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): After ten years of being a fugitive due to a fraud case, a foreigner from Germany with the initials KG, finally chose to surrender himself to the Singaraja District Attorney, Monday (8/7/2021). The Head of Intel's Head of Public Relations who is also the Public Relations Officer of the Buleleng Prosecutor's Office, Anak Agung Ngurah Jayalantara, said that the Buleleng Kejari team backed up by the Bali High Court (Kejati) has been continuously monitoring the whereabouts of the convict for several years since he was declared a fugitive. However, the convict always managed to escape or change locations. It is known that the convict has family in Lombok and Bali and has been on the run for almost 10 years, but the convict fled back to his home country. “The convict was sentenced to 2 years in prison. After surrendering, we submitted him to the Singaraja Prison to serve his sentence."
Of Interest
"Many Students Become Victims of Sexual Violence, LBH Bali Says Perpetrators Protected by Campus" from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
"Bali Experiencing Extreme Weather, Explanation of BMKG Region III Denpasar" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Myth of Gumitir Flower That Should Not Be Used When Praying" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Ari Dwipayana: Splendor of Balinese Literature Still Alive During Pandemic" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
"Locust Swarms Continue to Plague Southwest Sumba Villages" from Antara
"Flourishing Sense of Empathy Amid Covid-19 Pandemic" from Antara
"Musical Storytelling: Indonesia’s Best Narrative-driven Albums" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
"Australia Trained Indonesian Police Officer Accused of West Papua Violence" from The Guardian
"Indonesian Woman Arrested After IDR2 Trillion Donation for Covid-19 Relief Proved Too Good to Be True" from Coconuts Jakarta
How You Can Help
In response to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali and the resulting economic crisis, dozens of individuals and organizations have sprung into action, raising funds and distributing badly needed food and everyday essentials to the innumerable families who have suddenly found themselves without any source of income. We've been making an effort to document and raise awareness of these efforts. We will add information on projects in this space as we are able to confirm them. If you'd like to see a list of the efforts that we've featured so far and contribute to them with either time or money, visit our complete list here. You can also see a list of projects that have registered themselves with Bali Solidarity. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.
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