Thursday, June 25
House of Om owner detained, will be deported + Pediatric Society warns of increasing infection rates among children + Locals open Melasti Beach in defiance of govt + Go Jek lays off hundreds + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Thursday, June 25. 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:
New Infections by Regency
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 Revokes Bali Spiritual Community Founder's Temporary Stay Permit After Controversial Crowded Event" from Coconuts: The founder of Bali spiritual community House of Om, Wissam Barakeh, has had his temporary stay permit revoked today for hosting a crowded gathering that violated health protocols amid the Covid-19 pandemic last week, the regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in the province said... Barakeh, who is a Syrian citizen and holder of an ITAS, or temporary stay permit, was officially determined as the one responsible for the June 18 event at House of Om, which has been the subject of online ire since the weekend. Barakeh is currently detained at the Immigration Detention Center in Denpasar as his deportation is postponed until a flight to Syria becomes available.
"Pediatric Society Suggests More Focus On Covid-19 Cases Among Children in Bali" from Coconuts: Pediatricians in Bali are noting rising cases of COVID-19 among children in the province, highlighting 89 confirmed patients in the age group so far and suggesting stricter isolation of confirmed adult patients as well as keeping children at home to stem the spread of the coronavirus... "Adult COVID-19 cases need to be quarantined strictly so they won’t infect children, [and] children must be kept safe at home," I Gusti Lanang Sidiartha, who heads the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI), said. Sidiartha added many children are vulnerable to coronavirus infections from their adult family members.
"Hundreds of Traders Reactive After Testing in Galiran Market" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): After three days, rapid testing on most of the 1,735 traders who work in Galiran Market has been completed, with a total of 149 showing reactive results.
Other Headlines
"Many Galiran Market Traders Do Not Take Rapid Tests, Suwirta Threatens to Prohibit Sales" from Berita Bali (Indonesian): After more than 1,700 traders of Galiran Market were schedule to take rapid tests, Klungkung Regent I Nyoman Suwirta said that there were still many people who did not show up for various reasons. "We have offered them for free to convince ourselves to be free of Covid-19 but there are those who are not present. Those who are not present when going to sell are automatically rejected, because one condition for selling is to bring confirmation that you are Corona-free by showing the rapid test results," he explained... Starting Thursday, the market will re-open along with a post at GOR Swecapura to provide opportunities for traders who have not had time to take the rapid test. Meanwhile, Galiran Public Market has been cleaned with disinfectant twice a day, and 28 hand-washing points have been installed.
"Tabanan Hospital Declared Covid-19 Cluster As 10 New Cases Emerge" from The Jakarta Post: The new transmissions occurred after the hospital treated a patient, who was later confirmed to have contracted the fast-spreading coronavirus. Tabanan Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson I Putu Dian Setiawan confirmed the case on Tuesday. Six of the 10 new cases might have contracted the virus while visiting the aforementioned COVID-19 positive patient. The remaining four new cases were medical workers who treated the patient.
"Ahead of New Normal Beach Melasti Badung Has Been Opened, Visitors Who Don't Use Masks May Not Enter" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Melasti Beach, Ungasan Village, South Kuta, Badung began to open on Tuesday. "Visitors who come are required to implement health protocols such as using masks. Before entering the beach area, the visitors' body temperature will be checked using a thermogun," he said. (Ed. note: Local officials are granting access to this beach – and others – in defiance of the governor’s orders. Per Antara, Melasti Beach is opening "even though the Provincial Government of Bali has not officially opened the tourism sector on the Island of the Gods.")
"For Residents Not Using Masks, Denpasar Police Take Decisive Action" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Kasatpol PP Denpasar City I Dewa Gede Anom Sayoga said that almost every day in every segment of the road they find people who do not use masks. In order to provide guidance as well as a deterrent, officers take decisive action for violators by giving push up penalties. "Because we do not use masks to provide a deterrent effect, we do not hesitate to have them push up. Although after that we give them free masks, this is also an education and there is shame for those who break the rule," Sayoga said.
"Logistics Drivers Protest Rapid Testing Fees in Ketapang" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): The decision of Bali's Covid-19 Task Force to revoke subsidies for rapid test fees for logistic transport drivers apparently still aroused protests from drivers who frequently went in and out of Bali... Yesterday, video circulated showing commotion at the Sri Tanjung Ketapang Terminal in Banyuwangi. The commotion that occurred on Monday began as a Peaceful Action by logistics transport drivers who were still protesting the expensive rapid test fees, but was then infiltrated by unscrupulous brokers in the terminal which made the atmosphere hot. Fortunately the commotion has been handled by the police so that it is not sustainable.
"Hundreds Of Migrants Go Through Covid-19 Inspection At Padangbai Port, Bali" from Antara (Indonesian): "Every shift there are about 100 travelers entering Bali. Examination of each newcomer is still carried out according to the Bali entry procedure by attaching a certificate of quick test results, a certificate with clear objectives, attaching a health alert card, completing the identity card, and driver's license," said Head of Safety, Transportation Transportation Office, Karangasem Regency, I Komang Budiarta. "For the time being, the number of people refused entry has begun to drop again. Yesterday there were five to six, while in the past dozens were asked to turn around," he said.
Non-Covid News of Note
"Gojek Closes Selected Services, Lays Off 430 Staff" from Indonesia Expat: Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with a long-term view, Gojek has announced a new strategy which includes shuttering two services and laying off at least 430 employees... The termination of the two services; GoLife, the at-home massage and cleaning services, along with the company’s food court concept of GoFood Festivals, has come about following a marked decline in demand throughout the pandemic. At the same time, Gojek’s grocery delivery service has increased by more than double and its logistics business grew by 80%.
"Trans Java Toll to Be Extended to Bali, Says PUPR Ministry" from Tempo: Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the ministry would extend the Trans Java toll road from its current end to Bali Island. "We will extend this toll road to Bali Island," said Basuki in an online meeting of the Indonesia-Turkey Construction Business Forum in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 23. The 1,350-kilometer-long toll road that has been operating since 2019 connects the western end to the eastern end of the Java island.
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.
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.
For any questions, comments or tips, please contact us at newsletter@migrationmedia.net.