Friday, May 22
Stricter rules for commercial travel rolled out + Indonesia spiraling as country records nearly 1,000 new infections, the worst daily total yet + 1,200 villagers in Badung being tested + More!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Friday, May 22. 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. But if you would like to support my work, please consider taking up a voluntary subscription at US$5/month. Thanks!
Status Update
National Numbers:
Bali Numbers:
Today's Regency Numbers
Overall Confirmed Cases Distribution:
Key: Red = Infected | Green = Recovered | Black = Died
Bali 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 Total Confirmed Cases Distribution map & Regency Numbers figures come from the Bali Provincial Government's data collection department (link).
The 30-day trend charts have been compiled using daily government data.
How You Can Help
Each weekday we'll let you know about an organization or a person who is trying to make a difference for the people of Bali in these difficult times, and how you can pitch in.
Nadine Gray: Local events planner Nadine Gray (Real Escape Events & Bali Boho) has been putting together packages of staple foods that can feed a family for a week with items such as rice, oil, eggs, Tempe or tofu, noodles, face masks and a chocolate biscuits for the kids. So far her group has provided packs to villages in Padonan, Tabanan, and Tumbak Bayuh, plus other individual requests from people in need. She's still raising funds to expand her efforts. You can follow her updates on her Facebook and Instagram pages, and you can contribute via her GoFundMe page.
Please visit this page to see a list of all of the efforts that we've featured so far. If you know anyone who is raising funds, delivering food, organizing volunteers, or otherwise trying to rally people to the cause of assisting our neighbors here in Bali, please let us know by sending an email to newsletter@migrationmedia.net.
The Big News
"Govt Releases New Rules for Boarding Commercial Aircraft During PSBB" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): The Port Health Office (KKP) has imposed rules for prospective commercial aircraft passengers during Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB). These will be required to travel or to even purchase an airline ticket. They include:
Flights are only permitted for passengers with the need for official travel, businessmen, and Indonesian citizens who have just returned to the country from abroad, or
Temperature & oxygen saturation checks at the first inspection gate. If the person has a body temperature of 38°C or more, the officer will take them to an isolation room.
Inspection of health certificate and recent rapid test results.
Possession of an assignment letter from the relevant service or company, an identification card such as an ID card, driver's license, passport or family card, and airline tickets.
Environmental cleanliness and sterilization of airport facilities with disinfectant fluids
Regulating safe distances in each seat of aircraft waiting rooms
Aircraft capacity capped at 50% to maintain social distancing
"Indonesia Records 973 New COVID-19 Cases As East Java Becomes New Epicenter" from The Jakarta Post: The Health Ministry announced 973 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with 502 of the cases located in East Java, which has emerged as the new epicenter of the outbreak in the country. "This is an extraordinary increase and the highest [one-day] increase so far," the ministry’s disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, said... The 502 new cases in East Java is the highest daily spike recorded by a province in Indonesia, even surpassing that of Jakarta. The province has the second-most number of cases in the country with 2,998 cases and 241 fatalities, leapfrogging West Java and behind only Jakarta.
"Ahead of Eid al-Fitr, Traffic Flow At Gilimanuk Increases" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Despite a government ban on going home, activities at Gilimanuk Port ahead of the Idul Fitri 1441 Hijri day continue to increase. Based on data from PT. ASDP Indonesia Ferry, daily volume at Gilimanuk Port, which provides crossing service to Ketapang Port, has reached tens of thousands of vehicles and over 20,000 passengers between May 17-20. Every day more than 2,000 vehicles and 5,000 passengers leave Bali every day.
Other Headlines
"Mass Rapid Testing of Sayan Baleran Residents, Dozens of Results Reactive" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): All residents of Banjar Sayan Baleran, Werdi Bhuwana Village, Mengwi District, Badung Regency, were forced to undergo rapid tests on Thursday after the Operations Task Force discovered a single case from local transmission... 314 people have bene tested so far, with 12 found to be reactive. "So these 12 residents have been swabbed at the Mangusada Regional Hospital, and have been immediately quarantined," said Task Force Coordinator dr. I Nyoman Gunarta. As many as 1,200 people in Banjar Sayan Baleran need to be tested. "We are seeing developments. If few now take part in the test, it is likely that a second rapid test will be conducted. For the schedule, see the readiness of the residents," he explained.
"Market and Supermarkets Operating Hours In Tabanan Are Extended" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): In response to the small number of local Covid-19 transmissions in Tabanan Regency, the Regency Government has extended operating hours for markets and supermarkets. Market opening hours that were limited to 11:00 - 15:00 may now open from 08:00 - 15:00. Supermarkets that had been restricted from 11:00 - 17:00 can now operate from 10:00 - 22:00.
"Bali Ministry Of Law and Human Rights Says That 16 Foreigners Will Be Releases & Deported After COVID-19 Ends" from Antara (Indonesian): Head of the Bali Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regional Office, Jamaruli Manihuruk, said that there were 16 foreign nationals who had been released from prison and were in immigration detention centers to be deported after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared over... "Foreigners in Lapas if they are free will be sent to immigration detention centers, then they will be deported to their countries but for now it cannot, and for deportation, wait until it is declared that Indonesia is free from the corona pandemic," said Jamaruli.
"Thousands of Prospective Travelers Turn Around In Tabanan" from Bali Express (Indonesian): The Tabanan District Police have established two checkpoints along the main road to Gilimanuk, in Baturiti at the Denpasar-Singaraja line, and Selabih Beach, West Selemadeg. The joint operation of Satpol PP Tabanan, the Transportation Agency, the TNI and the Tabanan District Police has so far stopped thousands of potential home-bound travelers who crossed through Tabanan. All were asked to turn back to their original destination... Any motorists who wishes t carry out the Eid homecoming in the middle of the pandemic, specific rules must be followed. "They must posess health documents, travel permits from their place of origin, and negative results of independent rapid tests," said Head of Tabanan Sub-District Police Headquarters, Iptu Ni Putu Wila Indrayani.
"Bali Health Office: Dishonest Patients Increase Transmission Of COVID-19" from Antara (Indonesian): Head of the Bali Provincial Health Service Dr. Ketut Suarjaya said the increasing cases of local transmission of COVID-19 in the local province were due to many patients who had not honestly conveyed their previous travel history... Suarjaya cited the case of positive COVID-19 patients who were dishonest and resulted in a high number of cases of local transmission that more than 20 people occurred in Bondalem, Buleleng Regency. "The first patient to infect in Bondalem, at first he was not honest that he had previously gone to Surabaya. When he was ill and examined, the patient also 'insisted' that he never went go outside the area," he said. The patient then infected his colleagues, other family members, stall sellers next to the house to the market traders. "When it's a trader in a hit market, you can imagine the number of infected people can grow very quickly."
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.
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.
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.
Common abbreviations to be familiar with:
PMI: Indonesian migrant worker
PSBB: Policy of extreme social distancing. Officially restricts forms of transportation and prohibits certain types of business from operating. Requires any permitted businesses to enforce strict social distancing guidelines.
OTG: Possible cases, with no symptoms.
ODP: Suspected cases, being monitored. People with fever or respiratory symptoms such as congestion, sore throat, cough, travel in countries or areas with local transmission, or contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19. Tracked and placed under out-patient observation.
PDP: Probable cases, under observation. People with acute respiratory illness with at least one symptom such as cough, sore throat, congestion, light or heavy pneumonia, and travel in countries or areas with local transmission, or contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19. Usually placed under observation in an isolation ward at a designated hospital pending swab testing results.
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.