Friday, July 10
Buleleng declared 'Green Zone' as infections decline + Tabanan clinic closed after workers exposed & test shortage + Cinemas to reopen on July 29 + Head to Sanur to avoid beach crowds + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Friday, July 10. Please subscribe and share it with others in the foreigner community on the island. I happily put this daily newsletter together as a public service, and it will be free so long as the current emergency lasts. *A paid subscription is NOT required to access this content.* When signing up, select the "None" option and you'll get it delivered to your Inbox each day. If you would like to support my work, please consider making a voluntary contribution of US$5/month. Supporters receive an early update on the government’s daily infection & recovery numbers each night within an hour or so of their announcement… plus my enduring gratitude!
Status Update
National Numbers:
Bali Numbers:
Regency Numbers:
Confirmed Cases Distribution:
Key: Red = Infected | Green = Recovered | Black = Died
30-Day Trends:
More details on the locations of positive cases within each Regency, as well as the number of suspected cases ("ODP") and people under in-patient observation ("PDP"), can be found in charts & infographics on the websites of each Regency's Covid-19 Task Force:
Badung | Bangli | Buleleng | Denpasar City | Gianyar | Jembrana | Karangasem | Klungkung | Tabanan
Sources:
The national update comes from the Indonesia National Disaster Management Agency: @BNPB_Indonesia
The Bali Numbers infographic comes from the Bali Provincial Government COVID-19 Task Force (link).
The Confirmed Cases Distribution map & Regency Numbers figures come from the Bali Provincial Government's data collection department (link).
NOTE: While the national government includes daily testing totals in its infographic, Bali’s provincial government does not routinely release this data, so it is not included.
The Big News
"As Buleleng Enters Covid-19 Green Zone, This is Epidemiologist Warning" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Buleleng residents are now able to smile with relief after their region has been included in the "Green Zone" category due to the rate of Covid-19 infections has decreased. But despite entering the safe zone, epidemiologists remind the people of Buleleng to remain vigilant. Not careless. "The green color is not necessarily safe. So, don't ever say there is a safe area because each region has its own risks," said Epidemiologist Expert Team Expert Task Force Dewi Nur Aisyah... The National Task Force creates regional zoning to measure risk in an area, how low, medium or high based on 15 public health indicators. Regencies / cities that are in the green zone mean that the region has a lower risk compared to zones that are yellow or orange and red.
"Clinic in Tabanan Closed After 14 Workers Have Contact with Covid-19 Patient" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): 14 health workers (Nakes) at Mangusada Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in the Pupuan Subdistrict of Tabanan have been exposed to a patient who tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, Tabanan's Covid-19 Task Force (GTPP) has temporarily closed the facility until the health workers can be swab tested... Further contact tracing found another 30 people in the patient's neighborhood who may have been exposed. Everyone will received their tests on Monday. Why not take the swab test on Friday? According to I Putu Dian Setiawan, Spokesperson for the Tabanan GTPP, the Tabanan Health Office has already booked all of its available swab testing slots. "There are quite a lot of cases for swab testing. So it is scheduled according to the capacity and ability of officers. For tracing contact Pupuan is scheduled for next Monday," he said.
"Cinemas & Film Production Can Resume Operating On July 29" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): After 4 months of vacuum due to the corona virus pandemic, the government now allows film and cinema production to reopen. Chairman of the All-Indonesian Cinema Management Association (GPBSI) Djoni Syafruddin stated, the cinema network throughout Indonesia will be reopened starting July 29... According to Djonny, it takes about three weeks for all cinema entrepreneurs to prepare a new order of life order protocol in the cinema. Starting from communication materials, education on applying protocols to employees, to communication with film production houses.
Other Headlines
"On First Day of New Normal, Crowds Visit Kuta Beach" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Bendesa Desa Adat Kuta, Wayan Wasista, said a lot of people visited Kuta Beach after ts reopening. "It was crowded to the point of being overwhelmed to fill water in the hand washing tank. Indeed, at this time the public seems enthusiastic about the reopening of Kuta Beach," he said. "Yesterday it was planned that only 4 doors would be opened, but because there will be interests such as traditional ceremonies, we have decided to open 1 more door," he added.
"As New Normal Applies, Local Residents Dominate Sanur Beach" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Following the adoption of new normal or adaptation of new habits, 13 beach points in the Sanur area, Denpasar began to open. Based on direct observation on the first day of opening at one of the beaches namely Sanur Beach and Sindhu Beach, the day seemed not many visitors who came. The atmosphere of the beach seemed quite deserted, with several people sitting around, as well as swimming on the coast... In addition, the manager of Sindhu Beach parking lot, Ketut Sudarsa, said that although the beach had opened, not many visitors came on the first day. "Only zero percent so percent. Most local people, art shop owners, who have stalls and local residents. Foreign visitors have not been excited," he said.
"Not All Attractions in Nusa Penida Apply New Era Bali" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Head of Klungkung Tourism Office, Nengah Sukasta, said, various preparations have been made at existing tourist objects in Klungkung Regency to implement the new era of life order. It's just that according to him the preparations can only run well in a number of attractions in the mainland Klungkung such as in Kertha Gosa and Klungkung Puputan Monument... Although Nusa Penida is a favorite tourist destination in Klungkung Regency, preparations in the form of alerting officers, checking body temperature and washing hands cannot be done at all tourist objects there because not all attractions are owned by the Klungkung Regency Government.
"Passenger Surge At AP I Airports Continues As Covid-19 Test Policy Relaxed" from The Jakarta Post: State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I (AP I) recorded an increase in passenger numbers in early July after the government extended the expiry date for passengers’ rapid and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. AP I recorded more than 227,000 passengers in the first seven days of July, a huge increase from around 222,000 passengers during the first half of June and 76,000 passengers in the entire month of May.
"During Covid-19 Pandemic, Sanglah General Hospital Manages 1.3 Tons of Linen A Day" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): "During Covid-19, linen included in the infectious category was higher, because now there is a Covid treatment room including the use of clothes by officers who can change their clothes at the hospital at any time. 3 tons of linen that we manage in one day," explained I Made Surata Witarsa SKep MKes, Head of Sanglah Hospital's Physical Plant... He said linen which is used for wrapping, pillows, blankets, mattresses to the clothes of officers and patients in the hospital has gone through a high standard process so that he guarantees safety and cleanliness. "In processing infectious linen, we also use existing temperature standards, ranging from 70 to 90 degrees Celsius. We manage the Sanglah Hospital Laundry with a safe and standardized procedure, because the linen is included in the higher infectious category," he explained.
Non-Covid News of Note
"DHF Reaches 176 Cases, Karangasem Health office Intensifies Fogging" from Bali Express (Indonesian): Karangasem Health Office is intensifying the implementation of fogging, following the high cases of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in Bumi Lahar. This year, dengue cases increased compared to the previous year, from January to May 2020. The highest number of cases occurred in April 2020 reaching 176 cases. (Ed. Note: Per iNews Bali, the number of DHF cases has reached 71,000 nationwide, with Bali being the biggest contributor at just under 9,000.)
"Unemployment Rises, BI Still Predicts Bali Economic Quarter II Contraction" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): "The contraction is expected to be deeper than the previous quarter. This estimate is in line with the policy of anticipating the spread of Covid-19 which is getting tighter compared to the previous quarter," explained the Head of Bank Indonesia Representative of the Province of Bali, Trisno Nugroho. "Restrictions on production, consumption and distribution activities have led to a decline in the economic performance of countries around the world."
"Bali Hosts First Centre to Return Captive and Rescued Dolphins to the Wild" from Reuters: Now, the bottlenose dolphin is swimming freely after being brought to what organisers say is the world’s first permanent rehabilitation centre under a project initiated by Bali’s government and animal rights groups. “It’s a model. It can be duplicated. And we’re trying to do that in Europe as well, in Italy and in Crete,” said Ric O’Barry, an animal activist and founder of the Dolphin Project, the charity that runs the centre. With the help of Indonesian authorities, activists rescued four dolphins last year and brought them to the centre in a bay on the tropical island for treatment.
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 fund 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 at BaliSolidarity.org. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to newsletter@migrationmedia.net.
Resources
Important information for foreigners who are staying on the island, such as designated COVID-19 hospitals and emergency contact numbers, can be found by following this link.
The government has cancelled its visa-on-arrival process and rolled out enhanced entry requirements for people traveling to Indonesia; they have also granted automatic extensions to most foreigners who are still in the country on temporary stay visas. You can see a (translated) list of all of the relevant regulations on the Directorate General of Immigration & Ministry of Law and Human Rights' website here. You can see their confirmation of this policy on June 11 here, and see a cringe-inducing PSA here.
Local travel website Traveloka has a helpful page with a summary of what’s needed to travel to and within the country. You can also order a rapid test or swab (PCR) test via their platform: Link
The British Embassy in Jakarta has recently posted a great summary of the Indonesian government's travel restrictions on their Facebook page. You can read it here.
The EU has launched a website to help travelers stay informed about how member states will be accelerating the reopening of their borders. Through the “EU Re-open” website, travelers can enter the name of the country they wish to visit and find out the rules that will apply after each place's coronavirus lockdown. Information on the EU Re-open website and app will continue to be updated in line with the developments of the coronavirus pandemic.
If you are trying to plan travel anywhere, here are some of the best up-to-date resources that can help you:
IATA Travel Center Update - The International Air Transport Association is the global lobbying body for the aviation industry. Their Travel Information Manual Automatic (Timatic) database feeds into airlines' reservation systems, so it is the most reliable list of flight restrictions around.
Revolver Maps' Travel Restrictions Database - This list pulls directly from IATA's Timatic database and arranges the countries in lists that are easier to navigate and creates share-able links for every country. NOTE: This is a third-party service and they warn that the updates to their system can be delayed by several hours for certain countries.
Al Jazeera Travel Restriction & Border Shutdown Tracker - A companion list that includes less technical summaries of each country's travel restrictions, beyond just flights and airport access.
About This Newsletter
This newsletter is a product of Migration Media, the hub for stories from and about the international migrant experience.
Our standards
We only include news items from established media sources
We do not share rumors.
We do not include opinion pieces or forecasts.
For all stories marked "Indonesian" I have used Google Translate to convert it from Bahasa. In most cases I will polish the excerpt and/or write a short summary in proper English to help clarify the details.
For any questions, comments or tips, please contact us at newsletter@migrationmedia.net.