January 28, 2022
Police supervision in Canggu to increase + Bali Covid-19 cases rise to 212, highest in 3 months + Experts warn of biosecurity risk at Bali bird market + Weekend reads + 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.
Daily Covid Update
National Figures
Local Figures
The Big News
“Police Supervision in Canggu to Increase” from Bali Post (Indonesian): Members of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the North Kuta Police are monitoring the crime-prone lanes of Canggu. The personnel of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the North Kuta Police have increased surveillance in the Canggu area, especially on Jalan Tanah Barak, Jalan Nelayan and Jalan Short Cut. The reason is that the route is considered prone to stealing, stealing and theft. Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of North Kuta Police, Iptu I Made Purwantara, on Thursday said, to prevent crime, his party is taking concrete steps by increasing patrols and monitoring of ring service, especially at night. This routine activity is carried out to reduce the crime rate.
“Bali Covid-19 Cases Rise to 212, Highest in Three Months” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The Bali Province Covid-19 Handling Task Force reported an additional 212 daily Covid-19 cases on Thursday. "Of the 212 new cases reported today, there are three regencies/cities with the highest additional cases," Bali Province Covid-19 Task Force Secretary Made Rentin said. He explained that the three regencies/cities with the highest additional cases were Denpasar City (57 people), Badung Regency (55 people) and Jembrana Regency (46 people). The additional daily Covid-19 cases of 212 people, he said, also recorded the highest additional daily case record in Bali Province in the last three months.
Context: In related news, an Isoter in Jembrana has been described as “overloaded” (Indonesian), and Buleleng is to implement a 10pm curfew (Indonesian). Elsewhere, calls for citizens to be alert with regard to Covid-19 (Indonesian) continue.
“Experts Warn of ‘Biosecurity Risk’ at Bustling Bali Bird Market” from Al Jazeera: Endangered wildlife is on open sale at a market only a 30-minute drive from a convention centre in Bali where US President Joe Biden and other world leaders will meet to discuss pandemic recovery strategies at the G20 Summit later this year. The inventory on offer includes iguanas, porcupines, pythons, frill-necked lizards, civets, large-eyed owls with clipped wings, parrots, and critically-endangered Bali starlings. Spread over two city blocks, Bali’s Bird Market is a fraction of the size of Jakarta’s Pasar Burung Pramuka, and the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China. But wherever wild animals and people are crowded together, experts say there is a risk to health. “It only takes one event for a virus to cross the species barrier, whether directly from a wild animal to humans or by jumping through other species. The Bird Market provides the perfect ecosystem for that,” said Udayana University’s Gusti Mahardika, Bali’s most senior virologist.
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Other Headlines
“Kuta Beach Erosion Requires Emergency Management” from Bali Prawara (Indonesian): Abrasion due to the west wind in the Kuta beach area, which previously hit the shoreline in front of the Balawista post, is now starting to hit the south side. From observations at the location, apart from a number of shade trees falling, the abrasion condition almost touched the path used by pedestrians. At some points there are sidewalks that have broken because the foundation has been eroded by sea water. According to Made, one of the traders in the area, the abrasion condition this time was the worst in recent years. “In the past week, there have been frequent high tides. Yes, as a result, some of the sidewalks broke. The sand at the bottom has all been carried away by the current, so it is not strong enough to support the installed paving,” he said.
Vaccination Update
“Buleleng Again Holds Vaccination Festival” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The Buleleng Covid-19 Handling Task Force again held a vaccination celebration on Thursday, at the Gde Manik Art Building. The vaccination campaign initiated by the Buleleng Police in collaboration with the Buleleng Regency Government will provide all doses of vaccination. The Head of the Buleleng Health Service, Dr. Sucipto, said on Wednesday that this vaccination celebration will provide services to all Buleleng people who have not received the vaccine, either dose I, II, or III. "The priority is indeed booster vaccination, but if someone comes asking for a dose I or II, and it is according to the schedule, it will be served as well," said Sucipto.
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Tracing and Testing Continues to Be Intensified in Denpasar” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): To prevent further spread of the virus to residents who are in close contact with Covid-19 patients, the Dentim II Health Center tracer team together with Kesiman Kesiman Kertalangu Village officials carried out tracing and testing on residents who were in close contact with positive case patients. This activity was carried out on Thursday. Perbekel Kesiman Kertalangu Village, I Made Suena, when confirmed, said that the tracing of the spread of the COVID-19 virus was carried out with the Dentim II Health Center Tracer Team and was attended by the Head of the Dentim sub-district, I Made Tirana and the Head of Batur Sari. "We hope that by carrying out tracing and testing, the spread of the Covid-19 virus can be immediately cut off the chain of spread, and if anyone is exposed, further steps can be taken immediately.
Context: Here is a similar report from Klungkung (Indonesian), and in related news, 1,000 taxi drivers in Bali received their booster shot (Indonesian). The national government has stated they have a different handling mechanism for Omicron versus Delta.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia's Immunity Wall Against COVID-19 is Quite High” from Tempo
Nation: “Health Ministry Records Three Omicron Deaths” from Antara
Nation: “Daily Covid-19 Count Tops 8,000” from The Jakarta Globe
Nation: “Social Affairs Ministry's HQ Shut Due to Covid-19” from Antara
Nation: “Health Agency Clarifies Why Jakarta Yet to Pull COVID-19 Emergency Brake” from Tempo
Nation: “Govt Advises to Take Covid-19 Test Once Flu Symptoms Arise” from Tempo
Nation: “Task Force Urges Regional Govts to Bolster Health Protocol Monitoring” from Antara
Province: “Badung Guarantees There Will Be No Crowds During the 2022 Regional Head Election” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Mandalika MotoGP Spectators Are Afraid of Not Getting Lodging And Difficulty in Transportation” from Bali Suara (Indonesian): The availability of accommodation and transportation is a serious concern for the organizers of the 2022 Mandalika MotoGP, with many spectators worried that they will not get lodging. Vice President Director of MGPA Cahyadi Wanda said the issue of lack of accommodation and transportation haunted the minds of the audience. "The solution is that we are currently working on preparing a ticket bundling scheme, adding alternative accommodations and flights from or to Mandalika," said Cahyadi on Thursday. In addition to preparing bundling tickets, ITDC Group also received support for additional flights for the CGK-LOP, SUB-LOP, and DPS-LOP routes and vice versa so as to increase accessibility to Lombok.
Context: Another story reported that hotels on the Gili Islands are seeing lackluster booking levels for the MotoGP (Indonesian). Ticket sales however, remain strong (Indonesian), while calls to address the skill shortage in Mandalika continue.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia to Allow Only Compliant Firms to Restart Coal Exports When Ban Ends” from Reuters
Nation: “Indonesia, Australia Agree to Cooperate in Livestock, Animal Products” from Antara
Nation: “Lombok's Robusta Coffee to Be Promoted at MotoGP” from Antara
Nation: “Minister Aims to Revive Stalled Foreign Investment” from The Jakarta Globe
Province: “Jokowi Looks to Bring in Prominent Figures to Bali’s G20 Summit” from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Education
“Students Exposed to Covid-19, PTM in Jembrana Terminated” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Covid-19 cases in Jembrana have begun to spread to schools, and as a result, face-to-face learning must be stopped. The students who were found to be positively confirmed by Covid-19 were students of SMP 2 Melaya and SMA 1 Mendoyo. The head of the Jembrana Regency Government's Youth and Sports Education Office, Ni Nengah Wartini, said that it was known that the students were confirmed to have Covid-19 starting from a tracing carried out on one of the students from the family. After they were found positive, further tracing was carried out in the classroom, and it was found that three people were exposed, one of which was a teacher.
Context: This follows on from news yesterday of positive cases in schools in Kuta (Indonesian) and Denpasar (Indonesian). At a national level, the Vice President has again stated PTM needs to be implemented according to prevailing local Covid-19 conditions.
Weekend Reads
“Benefits and Challenges for International Tourists visiting Dili” from South East Asia Globe
“Across Southeast Asia, Long COVID Haunts Pandemic Survivors” from New Naratif
Of Interest
“Role of Digital Literacy Communities in Tackling Hoaxes” from Antara
“Reveal Names of Boarding Schools Affiliated With Terror Groups Says MUI” from Antara
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How You Can Help Bali
Due to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali, tens of thousands of families have found themselves with a greatly reduced income—if any. If you’d like to support organizations working to help those in need, you can see a list of some here.
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