Friday, July 17
Immigration adds new requirements for Emergency Stay Extensions + Blood plasma treatments come to Bali + Island govt affirms Rp 150k max price for rapid tests + Lion Air offering rapid tests + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Friday, July 17. 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
IMMIGRATION ALERT: The Directorate of Immigration has updated their website with the list of visa types that can be extended. You can find it here- scroll down halfway to the heading "Foreign nationals still residing in Indonesia due to suspending departure and ITAS & ITAP holders overseas". See the Resources section below for further info & links.
Update: The latest posts on the Directorate's Instagram & Facebook pages clarify that foreigners "must meet the eligibility and requirements of Stay Permits extension" and that each Extension is valid for 30 days. The new details are that all Extension applicants must bring their passports, substantive (current) visa, and "supporting documents" (if any); and that Extensions will be granted to foreigners if flights are not available to their home countries. Check the update out for yourself on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. (Ed. Note: The posts do not define what “eligibility requirements” are, what "supporting documents" means, or what kinds of flights home qualify as being "available." Be sure to contact Immigration or a visa agent for help with these questions.)
"Bali Treating First Covid-19 Patients with Blood Plasma" from Antara (Indonesian): The Bali Province Blood Transfusion Unit at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar has treated its first Covid-19 patients using convalescent plasma therapy (TPK), which will later be used as therapy patients with severe or critical symptoms... Based on research in various countries, TPK is very helpful in the healing process, especially COVID-19 patients with severe and critical conditions. In Indonesia, several hospitals have implemented this therapy, including in Bali. The first TPK therapy was carried out by PTN Udayana Hospital and until now there have been six patients treated with blood plasma therapy. What is encouraging, one patient with blood plasma therapy was declared cured as of July 16. (Ed. Note: In light of this treatment now being available in Bali, the Provincial Health Service has put out a call for blood donations from people who have recovered from Covid-19. Read more here.)
"Bali Provincial Government Sets Highest Rapid Test Cost at Rp 150,000" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): In accordance with the Ministry of Health's circular, the Provincial Government of Bali said that rapid test service for handling Covid-19 in accordance with the island's Task Force requirements would be free of charge, while "Health facilities that carry out rapid antibody tests for travelers or at their personal discretion can be charged a maximum fee of Rp 150,000," according to Dewa Made Indra, Secretary of the Province of Bali.
"Lion Air Group Resumes Flights, Starts Serving Rapid Tests in Bali, Location Near the Airport" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): The service location is close to the Airport, at the Air Force Clinic, Jalan Ngurah Rai Airport No. 12, Tuban, Kuta District with service time:
Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturday 09.00-14.00 Wita
Sunday and national holidays - closed
The provisions in the implementation of this rapid test are as follows:
Specifically for passengers who have tickets on Lion Air Group flights
Voucher rapid test COVID-19 can be obtained directly at the time of ticket purchase (issued ticket),
For passengers who already have a Lion Air Group flight ticket and have not carried out the COVID-19 rapid test, they can purchase a COVID-19 rapid test voucher by showing the booking code through the sales channel such as the call cente , Lion Air Group's sales office, www.lionair.co.id, www.batikair.com, travel agents (tour and travel) and others
Other Headlines
"City Government Not Allowing Boarding Houses to Receive New Residents" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Since the implementation of the new era of life order in Denpasar City starting on July 9, 2020, the Denpasar City Government has not yet permitted boarding-lodging owners to accept new residents because many new boarding house residents arrived in Denpasar as positive for Covid-19. As for the old boarding house occupants when they come from their hometown, especially from outside Bali, they are asked to bring a certificate of a non-reactive rapid test. "In addition, they must also be willing to participate in independent isolation. And to anticipate that transmission does not occur even more, people who go out of the house must also continue to follow the health protocol," said I Dewa Gede Rai, Spokesperson for Denpasar's Covid-19 Task Force.
"Klungkung Hospital Prepares ICU Room to Become Covid-19 Special Delivery Room" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Klungkung Hospital is currently preparing its ICU room, surgery and childbirth suites for patients who have been positively exposed to Covid-19. This has been done because on several occasions there were a number of positive patients with Covid-19 who needed treatment or action in the rooms... Director of Klungkung Regional Hospital Dr. Nyoman Kesuma revealed, the number of positive patients with Covid-19 at Klungkung Regional Hospital was quite a lot. "In addition, some are pregnant," he said. Along the way, some positive patients with Covid-19 needed treatment in the ICU, were treated in the operating room and some needed labor.
"Villas Declare Themselves Ready for SOP, Await Verification" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Readiness of villas to adheres to the island's "New Era" health protocols was declared by the Chairman of the Bali Villa Association (BVA), I Gede Sukarta. For example, in the Kayu Kayu Raja Kerobokan, North Kuta Badung where Sukarta as General Manager. "We are ready to follow the verification, as for the preparations we have made, such as making SOPs, employee education, then setting up hand washing areas, providing hand sanitizers and PPE (PPE) personal protective equipment)," he said.
"During Four Months of Pandemic, 127,799 Indonesian Citizens Return from Overseas" from Antara (Indonesian): "Most of them - 90,571 Indonesians - have returned from Malaysia. There have been an additional 1,861 people in the past week," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said. 25,378 Indonesians who were working as crews on foreign vessels have returned from 35 countries. They arrived in Indonesia through five entry points in Jakarta and Bali. In addition, 11,850 Indonesian citizens returned through independent repatriation from 55 countries.
Non-Covid News of Note
"Australian Woman Jailed Over Bali Policeman's Death Gets Early Release" from Reuters: Sara Connor, 49, was jailed in March 2017 together with British man David Taylor for their roles in the death of a traffic policeman, whose body was found on the popular Kuta beach with neck and head wounds. Connor was freed 13 months short of her full term due to her good behaviour... Wearing a headscarf, Connor did not comment as she left the prison surrounded by guards, who helped her through a scrum of photographers and into a vehicle that took her to an immigration facility. “I think everybody who will be released will be very happy, especially when she wants to meet the family, but I don’t know about the next plan,” said Sienny Karmana, Connor’s lawyer. Karmana added that Connor would return to Australia on Friday.
"Status of Mount Agung Decreases to Level II Alert, Activities Prohibited Within A 2 Kilometer Radius" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): The last eruption occurred on June 13, 2019 at 1:38 am and surface activity is now dominated by gusts with moderate to moderate intensity. Visually it can be observed clearly a significant decrease in the surface activity of the crater. The amount of volcanic seismicity in the last 1 (one) year has generally decreased. Volcanic earthquake is occasionally still recorded but the amount is not significant. This indicates that the movement of magma still occurs in the body of Mount Agung but with low intensity. Gunung Agung still has the potential to experience an eruption but with primary hazards it is estimated that it is still localized around the peak area with a maximum hazard radius of up to 2 km from the summit crater.
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 cancelled the automatic Emergency Stay Permit program that had been extended to most foreigners who are still in the country on temporary stay visas. You can see a (translated) list of all of the relevant entry regulations on the Directorate General of Immigration & Ministry of Law and Human Rights' website here. Scroll down halfway to the heading "Foreign nationals still residing in Indonesia due to suspending departure and ITAS & ITAP holders overseas" to see their list of which visas can still be extended. If you reside in Badung Regency, from the southern end of the island up to North Kuta, you need to make an appointment with the Immigration office in the Airport before you go in. You can make your appointment here. Follow them on social media to receive policy updates as soon as they are released: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
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.
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