August 30, 2021
Epidemiologist predicts Java-Bali Covid cases will rise mid-September + 1,300 Sanglah Hospital health workers yet to receive booster vaccine + Suspected Bali bomber finally goes on trial + 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: The provincial government did not release its infographic by press time.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers, which includes a look back at last week’s overall totals and an update on the island’s vaccination program.
The Big News
"Delta Variant Crisis Hasn't Ended, Java-Bali Covid-19 Cases Predicted to Rise Mid-September” from VOI: Epidemiologist from Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, said that currently, COVID-19 cases outside Java and Bali are heading towards a period of crisis. When the crisis period had passed outside Java-Bali, Dicky warned of the potential for a spike in cases in Java-Bali in mid-September. "The mid-September prediction is because outside Java is heading for a period of crisis, and they are caused by this variant of Delta," he said on Friday. "Once again I remind that this Delta variant can attack Java and Bali again, so that's what is happening in England now, they have welcomed it, the next wave has happened again, so even when vaccinations have started, there will be more," he continued.
“1,300 Sanglah Hospital Health Workers Yet to Receive Vaccine Booster” from Bali Express (Indonesian): The Head of Public Relations of Sanglah Hospital, Dewa Ketut Kresna, said that 1,300 health workers at Sanglah Hospital had not received the booster vaccination. "On average, those who have not been vaccinated are due to technical reasons and the condition of the health workers who are not fit," he explained. For health workers at Sanglah Hospital itself, Dewa Kreana said the number reached 4,087 people. So in total, as of Friday, the number of health workers who have received the COVID-19 booster vaccine is 2,787 or 68.2% of the total health workers at Sanglah Hospital. Meanwhile, for the availability of the Moderna type of Covid-19 vaccine, Dewa Kresna admitted that the Sanglah Hospital does not have a stock of Moderna. "For the Moderna vaccine, we do not stock it, because if there is a health worker who will be vaccinated, then we will take the vaccine to the Health Office as needed," he said.
"Suspected Bali Bomber Finally Goes on Trial" from Australian Financial Review: The Indonesian extremist who is believed to have led the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people – including 88 Australians – will finally face a court this week. Riduan Isamuddin, also known as Hambali, will come before a US military commission in Guantanamo Bay on Monday, along with two associates. All three are members of Jemaah Islamiah (JI), the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group behind both the nightclub bombings in Kuta, Bali, and a deadly attack at the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta the following year. Hambali was arrested 18 years ago in Thailand in a joint Thai-US operation. His trial comes amid fears of more deadly attacks after a suicide bomber killed at least 85 in Kabul on Thursday and a revenge drone strike by the US military.
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Other Headlines
"Covid-19 is Penetrating Indonesia's Hinterlands" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall): While we are currently seeing several signs of progress in reducing the infection rate and fatalities related to COVID-19 in densely populated cities in Java and Bali, we are also witnessing worrying indicators that the pandemic is increasingly penetrating Indonesia's hinterlands. And as if to add insult to injury, the vaccination rollout in far-flung regions lags far behind Java and Bali, which have apparently been given the priority. They are desperately asking help from the national and provincial governments. The bed occupancy rate in several regional hospitals in remote areas or on small islands is worrying, as is the limited availability of essential resources such as PCR testing, medicines, oxygen, ventilators and human resources, including doctors, nurses and medical staff with sufficient laboratory skills and tracing capabilities. Moreover, the current reports of COVID-19 cases from these remote areas are believed to be the tip of the iceberg because of limited testing and tracing.
Vaccination Update
“Government Supports Local Vaccine Development” from Antara: Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has said that the government will not only rely on imports of COVID-19 vaccines for meeting people's needs, but also support the development of local vaccines. "The government also continues to encourage the development of national vaccines so that we do not just rely on imported vaccines," Amin said on Saturday. Currently, there are two domestically-made COVID-19 vaccines — the Nusantara Vaccine and the Red and White Vaccine, he noted. "The government targets that in the future, we will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines and other medicines for the nation's independence in the field of public health," Amin said.
More...
Nation: “Over 34.70 Million Indonesians Fully Vaccinated Against Covid-19“ from Antara
Province: “Door to Door Vaccinations Accelerates Vaccination Program” from Bali Express
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Bali Task Force: No Patient Has Died in Central Isolation as Seriously Ill Are Transferred to Hospital“ from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): The Bali Province COVID-19 Handling Task Force has confirmed that until now no positive COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in a centralized isolation area have died due to delays in getting help. "That's because when there are certain symptoms that are excessive, then at the first opportunity an evacuation is carried out to a referral hospital so that they get treatment as quickly as possible," said Secretary of the Bali Province COVID-19 Handling Task Force Made Rentin in Denpasar, Sunday. He said that a standard operating procedure was when excessive symptoms are found, such as high fever, not eating well or shortness of breath, evacuation will be carried out in to a referral hospital. "When the final decision has been given by the doctor in charge, the officers in centralized isolation will evacuate to the hospital without waiting for the doctor to physically arrive," Rentin said.
More...
Province: “Expert Advises 5-day Quarantine after COVID Exposure” from Antara
Province: “National Police Chief Asks for Bali's Covid-19 Control Strategy to Be Strengthened” from Republika (Indonesian)
Province: “Nine Days After Luhut Went to Bali, Covid Continues to Decline” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: “Beaches in Badung are Strictly Guarded” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Klungkung: “Klungkung Police Chief Asks Residents Not to Be Afraid to Live in Central Isolation” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Passengers at Ngurah Rai Airport Increase After Bali Entry Requirements Allow Antigen Rapid Test” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Since regulation allowed users of the Java-Bali air transportation to use 1x24 hour rapid Antigen test for those who have a complete Covid-19 vaccine, passenger traffic at Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has seen an increase. "From the new regulation, we can see an increase, although it's not much, so it's around 10 to 15%. Plus now the government's policy states that the price of PCR tests has dropped and we have adjusted it as well," said Taufan Yudhistira of Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Bali, on Friday. From Air Traffic Data, the highest arrivals occurred Thursday, reaching 2,232 passengers and the day before there were 1,871 passengers. Meanwhile, at the departure terminal there were 1,720 and 1,861 passengers respectively.
More...
Province: “What Bali Entrepreneurs Say During the Pandemic” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Buleleng: “North Bali Airport’s Location Confirmed as Sumberklampok Village” from Bali Tribune (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Denpasar Ready to Hold Face-to-face Schooling” from Republika (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Markets and Gift Shops in Bali Closed During the Pandemic, Suparta Tries Nasi Jinggo” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Gianyar: “Trash Hero Indonesia Promotes Environmental Care Through Social Media” from NusaBali
Klungkung: “Australia Donates Seawater Desalination Machine to Lembongan” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Bali Opening
Province: “Tourism Sector Requests to Open Immediately, or at Least by End of Year” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
“An Anti-Expertise, Anti-Science Attitude is Undermining Indonesia’s Pandemic Response” from The Diplomat: On July 29, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia’s Coordinating Maritime and Investment Minister, made a comment that many would view as stating the obvious: “Now we understand that tracing is important in handling COVID-19,” he said. Many Indonesians interpreted his remark as evidence that the government has been very late in understanding the importance of tracing. Luhut made another startling statement on August 9, claiming that the government would exclude the death rate from the indicators of its pandemic response, citing “errors in the data entry that caused distortion in the judgment.” That decision is contrary to the World Health Organization’s guidance that mortality should be one of the primary indicators for assessing pandemic responses. Both of these comments pointed to the fact that the Indonesian government has largely disregarded the advice of experts during the pandemic, resulting in systemic failures in its response to COVID-19.
“Government Prepares Strategy to Deal With Possible Endemic” from Antara: Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has said the Indonesian government is currently preparing a strategy to deal with possible endemic if COVID-19 persists for a long time in the country. "This means (the strategy will be implemented) if the disease becomes a sporadic outbreak in certain places, similar to flu, dengue fever, and so on," said Muhadjir Effendy on Sunday. Effendy said the government had strengthened the social safety net to help the community in dealing with the pandemic, starting from Family Hope Program and basic food cards which were given regularly. Then, during the pandemic, the government also provided Cash Social Assistance and Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance.
“Stranded Afghans Defy Jakarta Lockdown to Beg Australia to Take Them” from The Sydney Morning Herald (Metered Paywall): Afghan refugees in Jakarta defied lockdown restrictions and fought with police as they protested against falling humanitarian intakes by Australia and other countries. Defying a ban on public gatherings in the Indonesian capital imposed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, more than 1000 refugees from Afghanistan were met by police, some in full PPE kit, who warned that troops stood by ready to disperse the crowds by force. “We ask [you to disperse] as we are still under the social restriction conditions. This is the second warning. The troops are ready,” an officer told the protesters according to local media. The traditional staging point for asylum seekers bidding to travel to Australia by boat, Indonesia has more than 14,000 registered refugees, over half of them ethnic Hazara from Afghanistan, who have long been persecuted by the Taliban. While the attention of Western powers is on the rescue effort in Kabul, many refugees who have fled the war-torn nation over the past decade remain in limbo in Indonesia, stranded with few rights for nearly a decade.
"Bali Immigration Office Deports US Citizen" from Antara: The Denpasar immigration authority in Bali on Friday deported a US citizen after he served time at a correctional facility over a vandalism charge. The US citizen, identified as DBH, was released from the Kerobokan correctional facility in Bali on March 9, 2021. He had been sentenced to jail over a vandalism charge. DBH did not have a passport and permit of stay in Indonesia, Manihuruk said. Hence, he was subject to immigration administrative action, in accordance with Article 75 of Law No. 6 of 2011 on immigration, he added. DBH was flown to Soekarno-Hatta Airport under the escort of two officers of the Denpasar detention house on Friday (August 27, 2021). Thereafter, he was flown to Istanbul aboard Turkish Airlines flight TK0057 en route to New York.
Of Interest
“Covid-19 Means Difficult Times for Turtle Conservation” from Radar Bali
“Indonesia Named Top Source Country for Animal Cruelty Content” from Coconuts Jakarta
”Indonesia Ranked First in List of Most Relaxed Countries“ from Kompas (Indonesian)
“Crazy Rich Indonesian Criticized for Bathing in Milk” from Indonesia Expat
“Acclaimed Mama San Bali Restaurateur Will Meyrick Opens New WA Restaurant” from The West Australian
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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