August 6, 2021
Weak tracing efforts hindering Bali’s Covid fight says Indonesian Doctors Association + Karangasem task force overwhelmed with Covid burials + Bali reports another daily case record + 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: Yesterday Bali reported another daily record with 1,470 cases, passing the previous record by 18 (July 28). There were 261 returned domestic travelers and 10 returned international travelers among yesterday’s total, which is almost a fifth of all cases. Recoveries were also at their highest, with 1,236. 25 fatalities brought this month's death toll to 180. The 7-day case average is now 1,296.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.
The Big News
"Weak Tracing Efforts, Patients Refusing Isolation Hampering Bali’s Fight Against Covid-19: Indonesian Doctors Association" from Coconuts Bali: Bali is struggling coping with weak tracing efforts and individuals refusing to isolate, the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) said this week, with limited medical supply and facilities also posing added challenges in the province’s battle against COVID-19. “The reality now is that tracing is low; only three to five people are traced from one confirmed patient, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends from 20 to 30 people for tracing, so this is quite hard,” I Gede Putra Suteja, Head of IDI in Bali, said. Suteja also said that some patients are refusing to isolate, whether on their own or in facilities provided by the government. “People fear tracing because it might lead them to be taken to a centered isolation facility that’s far away. [There are cases] of individuals showing symptoms when they are examined, but they don’t want to be tested because they fear losing their jobs, or having to be isolated,” Suteja said. According to IDI Bali, the province also struggles with limited supply of isolation facilities, ICU rooms, and oxygen, as the province continues to record over 1,000 cases daily in the last three weeks.
"Karangasem Joint Task Force Overwhelmed With Burial of Covid-19 Bodies" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The high number of patients who died due to being positive for COVID-19 in Karangasem Regency over the past few weeks has overwhelmed the joint officers. Due to the large number of deaths, officers were forced to work up to 24 hours, said Head of BPBD Karangasem IB Ketut Arimbawa. According to him, joint officers consisting of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Social Service, Satpol PP, Transportation Service, and PMI were made to arrange funerals according to Covid-19 procedures. They were overwhelmed by the lack of personnel when the daily death cases reached a dozen people a day, and lack of volunteers. In addition, the number of vehicles carrying officers was also limited and it was very difficult to divide the team among a number of locations. "In the meantime, we are optimizing the existing personnel. We must deploy a maximum of 10 people in the field and a minimum of seven." Until now, he hopes that a number of volunteers from each village can register to be a part.
"Bali Breaks Another Two Covid-19 Records" from Bali Post (Indonesian): On Thursday, Bali again broke the record for additional residents exposed to Covid-19. This record was previously achieved on July 28 with a total of 1,452 cases. 1,470 new cases were recorded yesterday, bringing cumulative cases to 82,749 people. The death toll increased by 25 people. The cumulative death toll reached 2,331 (2.82%), including 2,325 Indonesians and 6 foreigners. The good news is that yesterday Bali also recorded a recovery record, as many as 1,075 people. The number of active cases who are still being treated or undergoing quarantine is 13,803 people (16.68%). They are being treated across 17 hospitals and quarantined at Bapelkesmas, UPT Nyitdah, Wisma Bima and BPK Pering. Amid high additional cases on August 4, the Isolation Bed Occupancy Rate is 1,810 beds (75.55%) from a total of 2,516 beds. 545 beds (24.45%) still remain.
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Other Headlines
"UNESCO Raises Concerns Over Projects in Indonesian World Heritage Sites" from Coconuts Bali: Development projects backed by the Indonesian government are getting a bit of a spotlight during a recent UNESCO session, with the World Heritage Committee raising concerns over the potential environmental and cultural impact on internationally protected sites located in the country. The committee said the government ought to review the ongoing tourism development projects in popular destinations such as the Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta. They also urged the closure of the Habema-Kenyam road of the Trans-Papuan Highway due to its potential impacts to the Lorentz National Park in Papua, including implementing proper mitigation measures, which they say have not been adequately determined even though the roads have been developed in this area. In Bali, the committee has requested the government to assess the potential impacts of projects developed around areas with the subak (irrigation) system for paddy fields, particularly in Jatiluwih area in Tabanan regency, “before making any decision that would be difficult to reverse.”
Vaccination Update
"Pressure Back on Kadin to Push for Progress in Gotong Royong Vaccine Program" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall): All eyes are now back on the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) to fix the problems in the Gotong Royong COVID-19 vaccination program, after the government canceled a self-paid scheme that backfired when it was announced on July 11. The Gotong Royong program was initially launched in May to allow for private vaccination programs amid the slowdown in the government’s public vaccination drive, primarily due to global shortages of COVID-19 vaccines. But progress in the private vaccination program has also been beset by issues in coordination, distribution, and supply, raising doubts as to whether Kadin could achieve its goal of inoculating 22 million private employees and their families as set by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
More...
Nation: "Minister Urges Patience Amid Demand for Third Covid-19" from The Jakarta Post
Nation: "Limited Doses, High Turnout Throw North Sumatran Vaccine Event Into Disarray" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Nation: "Health Ministry Urged to Hasten Vaccine Distribution Across Indonesia" from Antara
Nation: "Indonesia Will Receive 3 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine From France" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Nation: "How I Got Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in Indonesia" from Indonesia Expat
Denpasar: "100 People Sing Indonesia Raya Before Being Vaccinated at Denpasar Police" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Jembrana Residents Disappointed, Vaccine Stock Empty" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
"Govt Urged to Reconsider PCR Test Rule for Air Passengers" from Antara: Garuda Indonesia employees have urged the government to reconsider its decision to make polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests mandatory for air passengers in place of rapid antigen tests, arguing the step could affect airlines' occupancy. The Home Minister's Instruction No.27/2021 on the Enforcement of Levels 4, 3, and 2 Public Activity Restrictions in Java and Bali has made it compulsory for domestic airline passengers to take PCR tests at least 48 hours prior to departure. However, travelers using other transportation modes, including private cars, motorbikes, buses, trains, and vessels are only required to show the results of rapid antigen tests taken a day before departure, he noted. The different testing requirements for those traveling by airplanes and by other transportation modes in the country have created a sense of discrimination, Tampatty said. He argued that traveling time is shorter for air passengers than those traveling by other means of transportation.
More...
Nation: "Indonesia Receives 15,000 Oxygen Concentrators From Donors" from Antara
Nation: "Minister Outlines Medical Waste Management Plan Amid Pandemic" from Antara
Nation: "Indonesia Covid Deaths Pass 100,000 as Delta Overwhelms Hospitals" from The Guardian
Nation: "UI Researcher: Three Nutritional Problems Threaten the Future of Indonesian Teenagers" from Kompas (Indonesian)
Province: "Two Red Zones Contribute Most Additional Deaths" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Buleleng: "Random Covid-19 Test at Pasar Anyar, 3 People Test Positive" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Mass Ngaben Ceremony Still Running With Prokes" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "37 Doctors in Tabanan Infected With COVID-19 During the Pandemic" from IDN Times Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
"Growth of 7.07%, Indonesia Officially Out of Recession" from Indonesia Expat: The end of the slump occurred as the Indonesian economy grew in the second quarter of 2021. With this achievement, the Indonesian economy – which has experienced negative for the previous four quarters – has managed to return to the positive zone, meaning it no longer meets the technical definition of recession. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) stated that, when compared to quarterly and annual terms, the growth that occurred in the second quarter was higher than the first quarter of 2021, which was minus 0.74%, and the second quarter of 2020, which was minus 5.32%. Meanwhile, cumulatively, Indonesia’s economic growth will be 3.1% in the first half of 2021 compared to the first semester of 2020.
Context: At the height of the recession, Indonesia’s GDP contracted as much as 5.32% in the second quarter of last year, the sharpest drop since the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis.
More...
Nation: "AirAsia Extends Flight Operations Suspension Until 6 September 2021" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Nation: "Indonesia Narrows Trade Deficit With China, Records Surplus With US" from Antara
Nation: "Indonesia, US Hold Largest Joint Military Drills" from Agence France-Presse
Nation: "Indonesia Agrees to Counter-Trade Agreement with Russia" from Bisnis (Indonesian)
Nation: "Public Losses Due to Illegal Investments Reach Rp117 Trillion: OJK" from Antara
Nation: "Indonesia's Automotive Industry Facing Challenges in Online Sales" from Antara
Province: "Throughout 2021, Digital Transactions Increased" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Officials in Bali Become Corruption Suspects for Traditional Ceremonies and Offerings Reaching Rp.1 Billion" from Merdeka (Indonesian)
Gianyar: "Little Income, Gianyar Regency Government Debt to BPD and Center Rp.750 Billion" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Corruption in Cattle Procurement, Former Head of Jembrana Agriculture Sued for 6 Years" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "To Embarrass Parking Violators, Transportation Agency Uploads Vehicles to Social Media" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Road to Bukit Abah Closed by Landslide, Floods Land in Klungkung City" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Heavy Rain, 15 Meters of Barrier Wall in Tabanan Collapses" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Families of 20 Victims of Yunicee Ferry Sinking Receive Rp.862 Million in Compensation" from Suara Bali (Indonesian): PT. Jasa Raharja and PT. Jasa Raharja Putera provided compensation for the families of victims who experienced the sinking of KMP Yunicee on the Ketapang-Gilimanuk route on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 in Gilimanuk waters. The Deputy Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati or Cok Ace expressed his condolences and hoped that the families of the victims would be given courage. “This is a disaster that we cannot predict, and at that time there were indeed many people crossing to Ketapang because there was a ceremony at Semeru Temple. But hopefully this disaster will also give us a lesson for both ship managers and passengers to be more vigilant," he said. Meanwhile, the Director of Operations of PT. Jasa Raharja Bali Branch Dewi Aryani Suzana said that the management of PT Jasa Raharja would like to thank the stakeholders for the coordination and synergy in handling the incident, so that compensation for passengers can be carried out smoothly. He said that the symbolic handing over of compensation was also a form of our empathy and friendship to the families of KMP Yunicee passengers.
"Australians Who Live Overseas Now Unable to Leave Country if They Return for Visit" from The Guardian: The Australian government has quietly expanded its ban on Australian citizens leaving the country to include people who are ordinarily residents in another country, meaning that even people who live overseas may not be allowed to leave Australia. Prof Kim Rubenstein, an expert in citizenship law from the University of Canberra, said the change would unfairly affect Australians from multicultural backgrounds and could be constitutionally invalid. Currently, Australian citizens and permanent residents are banned from leaving Australia, and have to apply for an exemption to do so, which can be granted for employment, study, or compassionate reasons, among others. However, if an Australian citizen is ordinarily resident in another country, they are automatically allowed to leave. On 1 August, the health minister, Greg Hunt, amended the legislative instrument that created the overseas travel ban to remove this exemption – and further tighten rules on Australian citizens or permanent residents. Effective from 11 August, even Australian citizens who are ordinarily resident in another country will have to apply for an exemption to leave the country, and could be denied.
Some Covid Context
The South East Asia Travel Show Ep. 86: July in Review: Delta Variant Spreads Across ASEAN & Asia Pacific: July 2021 saw the Delta variant spread at an accelerated speed through the region. It now dominates every aspect of economics, social and health policy, and daily discourse. On the monthly review show, Gary and Hannah unravel this month’s worrying statistics from across South East Asia, plus China, Japan, and South Korea. We also analyse what the worsening COVID-19 situation combined with variable speeds of vaccine rollout will mean for proposed tourism reopenings in Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
*Note: Click on the embedded player above to listen or open the episode in Spotify. You can also find it in your favorite podcatcher by searching for “South East Asia Travel Show,” or you can listen to it on the program’s website here. If you’ve heard a podcast or watched a video that you think can inform issues that we are facing here in Bali, let us know at TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.
Of Interest
"Two Bengkulu Regional Languages on Verge of Extinction: Govt" from Antara
"Eight Students Netted by Wild Racing Action at Ngurah Rai Bypass" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
"Dare to Catch and Keep Birds, Rp 2.5 Million Fine" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"Indonesian Celebrity Dinar Candy Apprehended for Protesting in Bikini on the Street" from Coconuts Jakarta
"3.6 MR Tectonic Earthquake Shakes North Bali" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Weekend Reads
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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