Thursday, August 6
Sanjiwani Hospital Outbreak spreads as Director tests positive + Klungkung Regent Bows to trader pressure, fully reopens former virus hotspot Galiran Market + Country's economy shrinks 5.32% + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Thursday, August 6. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your Inbox every Monday-Saturday morning, along with each evening’s Covid-19 update. If you are already a subscriber, thank you! Please be sure to share it with others in the foreigner community on the island by clicking the button below.
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Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook (animation shows changes from 8:00am - 6:00pm)
Weather forecast from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Surf outlook via Windy.com.
Local Covid Numbers
*NOTE: The Provincial Government’s daily infographic update from yesterday has incorrect data, so it has not been included. Click here to see the complete breakdown of yesterday’s numbers from our evening update.
The Big News
"Director of Sanjiwani Regional Hospital Gianyar Positive for Covid-19, Isolating at Bali Mandara Hospital" from The Ring Times Bali (Indonesian): Managing Director of Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Sanjiwani Gianyar, Dr. Ida Komang Upeksa, has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently undergoing isolation at Bali Mandara Hospital as a person without symptoms (OTG)... Upeksa's Covid-19 positive results were recorded by Gianyar's Covid-19 Task Force on Monday as part of their search for cases among the staff after eight people were discovered to have contracted the virus and the hospital closed its Outpatient Clinic for three days.
"Galiran Market Returns to Normal Operating Hours" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Following complaints from local traders, the operational hours of Galiran Public Market, Klungkung, will be reopened to normal 24 hours, starting Saturday (8/8). However, Klungkung Regent I Nyoman Suwirta noted that traders and visitors must continue to apply health protocols such as diligently washing hands, using masks and maintaining distance between visitors or traders. "As long as it opens normally, all residents must increase their discipline of using masks and keeping their distance," said Regent Suwirta... He assigned the Head of UPT Pasar Klungkung, Komang Sugianta to map field conditions and supervision. Including, completing all supporting facilities, starting from the hand washing area, and others. "For supervision is still carried out and socialized to traders and buyers with the hope that citizens continue to comply with the protocol healthy," Suwirta added.
"BPS: Economy Contracts 5.32%" from Antara (Indonesian): The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded economic growth contracting at a negative level for the first time since quarter I-1999, after the economy in quarter II-2020 grew negative 5.32%. "If you track this growth on a quarterly basis, minus 5.32% is the lowest since the first quarter of 1999 which contracted 6.13%," BPS Head Suhariyanto said. "Starting in June, several indicators have begun to improve, even though they are still far from normal. Let's join hands so that the economy will move further, including discipline in implementing health protocols. This is the main key so that COVID-19 does not spread," he said.
Other Headlines
"Lombok’s Mount Rinjani Partially Closes Park After Hikers Held Wild Weekend Rave" from Coconuts: The Mount Rinjani National Park Agency (TNGR) is set to temporarily close one of its tourist attractions, Savana Propok, following an incident last weekend which saw dozens of hikers partying late into the night. Videos from the crowded gathering have been circulating widely online, showing a bunch of hikers with their flashlights and phones while music blasted in the background as they raved while standing in close proximity.
"Members only: Administration Limits Komodo National Park Visitors to 50,000 A Year" from The Jakarta Post: The East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration will only allow 50,000 foreign and domestic visitors to Komodo National Park in West Manggarai regency, Flores, each year, in addition to requiring a membership to visit the world-renowned island. "Komodo Island is designated as a conservation island. Tourists who want to enter must be registered as members and we allow no more than 50,000 visitors a year," East Nusa Tenggara Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat told reporters.
"Rabid Dog Bites Eight People" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Eight residents of Banjar Taman, Tuwed Village, in Tabanan have suffered bites from a dog who has tested positive for rabies. All eight people have been given vaccinations and even though they are in good health, they will receive medical supervision and every 2 weeks they will be given three additional doses... To prevent the spread of rabies in Taman banjar, officials from the Agriculture and Food Service and the Health Service conducted vaccinations among other dogs in the area and eliminated the dogs suspected of having had contact with the rabid dog. "We did emergency vaccination because last month we had done mass vaccination in this village, only the positive dogs had not been vaccinated, then we carried out selective elimination of several dogs that had contact," said Kasi Keswan, Agriculture and Food Office, IGN Rai. Mulyawan.
"ASITA-Bali Travel Agencies in Disarray" from Bali Discovery: The Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents (ASITA-Bali) has descended into an atmosphere of organizational disarray after a Palace Coup following steps to unseat and replace the organization’s current chairman and general secretary... The basis or specific reasons for the suspension and replacement of the current leadership of the Bali chapter of ASITA were not spelled out by the organization’s national leadership. The controversial dismissal letter did, however, reference Chapter V, Section 15, paragraph (2) of ASITA’s Charter alleging a failure to comply with points 2.1, 2.2, and 2.5 of the by-laws. The letter also referenced other sections of the ASITA Charter claiming the ousted board had damaged the organization by failing to carry out decisions agreed by the membership of ASITA-Bali.
"25 Confiscated Green Turtles Released on Kuta Beach" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Two weeks ago police secured 36 turtles after breaking up a smuggling ring that was taking them from Banyuwangi waters to Serangan Village. 25 turtles were released while the remaining 11 have become evidence in the case that led to the arrest of eight suspects. They face five years in prison. "Later, after their presentation as evidence, they will also be released," said Toni Ariadi Effendi, Director of Polair Polda Bali Kombes Pol.
”Deputy Governor of Bali: Tourism Protocol is Ready to Welcome Foreign Tourists" from Antara (Indonesian): "The Bali Provincial Government through the Tourism Office is verifying that accommodation, tourist destinations, transportation, restaurants, and so on have met the standards. I hope Bali will be 100 percent ready before full reopening of tourism in early September," said the Deputy Governor. "Our preventive efforts have shown improved results. According to statistical data from the Bali Province COVID-19 Task Force as of August 3, 2020, the cure rate for positive COVID-19 patients in Bali Province is 85.7%."
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 found 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.
About This Newsletter
This newsletter is a product of Migration Media, the hub for stories from and about the international migrant experience.
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