Friday, May 29
Govt confirms that emergency stay permits extended until further notice + Curfew in South Kuta + Post-Eid reentries at Gilimanuk down 98% from last year + Big waves & flooding on south coasts + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Friday, May 29. 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:
Regency Numbers
Key: Blue = Infected | Yellow = In Treatment | Green = Recovered | Red = Died
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
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.
The Big News
Immigration Ministry Confirms That Foreigners Emergency Stay Permits Valid Until Further Notice" from Directorate General of Immigration of the Republic of Indonesia (via Instagram): Emergency Stay Permits information for foreign nationals: Your Emergency Stay Permit is still valid after 29 May 2020 until further notice. Regulations remain the same.
"Benoa Covid-19 Task Force Orders Curfew" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The Covid-19 Task Force in Benoa Village in South Kuta has intensified curfew patrols and raided motorcyclists who did not wear masks. From patrols that are conducted every night, officers find the public has obeyed the curfew. Chairman of the Covid-19 Task Force of Benoa Village, I Wayan Ambara, explained that until now his party was still intensifying patrols. Every night a dozen personnel who are members of the Covid-19 Task Force move along a number of roads to monitor the activities of residents. From the monitoring process, residents have obeyed the curfew rules. "Everyone is aware of the current condition of the global epidemic. So they obey the curfew," he said.
"Number Of Vehicles Entering Bali After Lebaran Down Drastically Compared to Last Year" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): From data collected by Ditlantas Bali Police in collaboration with Jembrana Police and Gilimanuk Port, there were 1,576 people who entered Bali yesterday through the Gilimanuk Port. "When compared to H + 2 Lebaran last year, the number of crossings is far less than the 61,532 people who entered Bali on this day last year," said the Head of Sub-Directorate of Safety and Security of the Bali Police Traffic Directorate, Drs. I Nyoman Sukasena... On Wednesday the number of vehicles entering Bali through the Port of Gilimanuk was 81 two-wheeled vehicles, and 992 four-wheeled vehicles. In 2019, the number of vehicles entering Bali on the H + 2 Lebaran was 6,866 two-wheeled vehicles and 6,749 four-wheeled vehicles.
Other Headlines
"Forced to Turn Back at Gilimanuk, Dozens of Homecomers Failed to Enter Bali" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Dozens of people and vehicles that attempted to enter Bali via the Gilimanuk Port have been returned to their area of origin or forced to turn around because they did not meet the specified requirements. From information collected over the last two days, there have been 65 people who were sent home. Among the missing pieces of information were the results of the non-reactive rapid test and a statement from the guarantor for the travel agent, as well as a statement about their destination to Bali.
"New School Year Planned According to Schedule, Instruction Material Arranged by Bali Disdikpora" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): Although the COVID-19 pandemic has not subsided, the implementation of the 2020/2021 school year is planned to take place according to the education calendar, which is in July 2020. The Bali Office of Education, Youth and Sports (Disdikpora) is developing a Teaching and Learning scheme, including the implementation of the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS). Head of Bali Disdikpora, Ketut Ngurah Boy Jayawibawa, said that the MPLS is about introducing, filling in material or socializing (in the school environment). The material will be discussed later with the principals."
"Bali Will Be Opened Again When New Normal Arrives" from CNBC Indonesia (Indonesian): According to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Whisnutama Kusubandio, Bali is one of the provinces that is likely to be re-opened to tourists. But the talk of opening Bali cannot be separated from the handling of Covid-19 in the region... Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati has previously stated Bali's readiness. "Bali is ready to fulfill the requirements to become a destination after Covid-19," he said. Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo has previously stressed to his staff that they are not to rush to open tourism areas. According to him, there needs to be an in-depth study before executing the policy.
"Results Of Pandemic Impact Survey for Private Schools In Bali Released" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): In connection with students' learning experiences during a pandemic, several problems that have developed include the ability of parents to buy quotas, the availability of devices (laptops, cell phones), the need for assistance from parents or adults when studying at home, the availability of signals, learning achievements that are not sustainable and motivation, focus and effectiveness of learning at home. On the other hand, educators also experienced a number of similar things such as the inability to buy quotas, adaptation of skills using technology, availability of signals at home, increased workload due to changes in learning methods, ownership of devices (Laptops, Mobile Phones), conducive distance teaching especially children. performance and decreased performance due to additional side jobs for those seeking additional income... On the parent's side, respondents still have difficulty in: 1) Managing the confusion of information in the media that affects parents' opinions on school decisions, 2) Determining indicators of real family financial conditions that are affected and entitled to assistance, 3) Managing misperceptions and expectations of parents related to the meaning of learning from home, 4) Transparency of school financial conditions and 5) Complaints about the additional costs of ART / tutors spent by parents who remain working.
"In the Midst of the Corona Virus Pandemic, Caucasian Tourists Throw Loud Pary In Pererenan Villa" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): Covid-19 pandemic conditions did not make a number of foreign tourists in Pererenan practice physical distancing this week. An incident at a villa in Pererenan, Badung, on Tuesday night saw tourists partying and making noise. Their party was disbanded by Badung Regency Satpol PP... The foreigners are seen as not complying with the government's call for physical distancing and also disturbing local residents. In addition to having their party broken up, the tenants were also expelled by the owner of the villa. "We broke up about 10 Caucasians, because we were reported to be checked, because our neighbors were disturbed. In the morning (Wednesday) they had been evicted by the owner of the place (villa)," said Head of the Badung Satpol PP, I Gusti Agung Kerta Suryanegara.
"Tourists to Bali Predicted to Be Only 17.2% of Normal" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Tourists visiting Bali in 2020 are expected to contract up to 82.8%, leaving just 17.2% compared to 2019 which reached 6,275,210 people. Based on discussions with tourism actors, inbound tourists to Bali 2020 are estimated to contract the worst in the second quarter of 2020. The decline will contract 49.2% - 82.8% year on year (yoy) in 2020.
"Indonesia Says Only Regions with Zero, Declining Cases Can Brace for 'New Normal'" from The Jakarta Post: As Indonesia braces to gradually reopen the economy, the government has announced that the country's regions should meet two main conditions to be able to ease COVID-19 mobility restrictions and start welcoming the so-called "new normal."... Regions should either have maintained zero COVID-19 cases or have witnessed a significant decrease in the number of infections to relax curbs and reopen businesses under health protocols, COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo said.
"Hong Kong, Singapore Lift Airport Bans On Transit Passengers" from Executive Traveler: Hong Kong and Singapore airports will lift their bans on transit passengers from the start of June as part of the easing of coronavirus restrictions which have stunted the economy and decimated air travel... All arrivals at HOng Kong's airport are currently required to go to the nearby AsiaWorld Expo site for COVID-19 testing, before proceeding to their home for the mandatory 14 day quarantine period. There's been no advice as to if this practice will continue, nor what restrictions might be imposed on passengers in transit at the airport itself, although wearing masks may be required. Singapore stopovers will be very different to what travellers are accustomed to. Instead of browsing the duty-free shops or kicking back in the airline lounge , transit passengers will "remain in designated facilities in the transit area and not mix with other passengers whilst at Changi Airport," said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. Airport staff will wear personal protective equipment when interacting with passengers, while existing precautionary measures, such as safe distancing and temperature checks for passengers and staff, will remain in place.
The View from Outside
"‘It’s Too Late’: In Sprawling Indonesia, Coronavirus Surges" from The New York Times: In an alarming glimpse at what could be runaway transmission, a random sampling of 11,555 people in Surabaya, the country’s second largest city, found last week that 10 percent of those tested had antibodies for the coronavirus. Yet the entire province of East Java, which includes Surabaya, had 4,313 officially confirmed cases as of Thursday. "Massive infection has already happened," said Dono Widiatmoko, a senior lecturer in health and social care at the University of Derby and a member of the Indonesian Public Health Association. "This means it’s too late." ... There are other, even more unlikely, places in Indonesia that have avoided out-of-control epidemics. The tourist island of Bali had direct flights from Wuhan, the Chinese city that was the center of the initial outbreak. Even in March, holidaymakers were arriving in Bali from Europe and other places hard hit by the virus. Yet Bali has had just 420 confirmed cases. Gusti Ngurah Mahardika, a virologist at Udayana University in Bali, checked in with local crematories to see whether more bodies were coming in because of the coronavirus. They were not.
Non-Covid News of Note
"Officials Urge Caution As Coastal Floods Hit Southern Shores Of Bali" from Coconuts: Coastal floods hit parts of southern Bali yesterday, which saw streets near some of the island’s most popular beaches flooded with seawater. Officials have issued a warning and cautioned local residents to remain alert for any updates, as more flooding can be expected today... Coastal floods are predicted to occur in several areas across Indonesia, such as the western shores of Lampung, as well as the southern shores of Java and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). BMKG further cautions local residents to remain alert and anticipate the impacts of the coastal floods, while also keeping track of the latest updates from the agency.
"Explosion At Villa Bogenville, Banjar Jempinis, Pererenan Village" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): There was an explosion at a villa warehouse located on Jalan Dalam Gede, Banjar Jempinis, Pererenan Village, Mengwi District, Badung, Wednesday. The explosion occurred at around 8:15pm and came from inside the Bogenville villa warehouse... It is not known what exploded in the villa, but due to the explosion, the walls of the villa collapsed and several items caught fire. There were no fatalities in the incident, but the villa owner suffered a loss of hundreds of millions of rupiah.
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.