Thursday, June 4
2 Australian men found dead, Covid-19 suspected + THE BEACHES ARE CLOSED (again) + Lion Air to stop flights (again) + Unud Hospital sets limit on daily swab tests for travelers due to crowds + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Thursday, June 4. 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
"2 Australians In Bali Found Dead In A Day" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Two Australians were found dead in different locations on the same day, Wednesday. The locations were spread out across Badung and Denpasar City. Both are known to have a history of illness before dying. The first, an Australian citizen with the initials D.W.J. (55), died in the arms of his girlfriend in a boarding room in Munggu Village, Badung Regency According to the Head of Public Relations Head of Badung Regional Police, Iptu Ketut Oka Bawa, the victim had complained of shortness of breath on Tuesday before being found dead. After being evacuated the victim was taken to the Sanglah hospital for further treatment in accordance with the Covid-19 protocols... The second Australian, with the initials K.H.C. (66), who lived in a villa in Jalan Gunung Salak Utara, Denpasar City, was found dead in bed on Wednesday. The victim was discovered by his adopted child in a prone condition. According to information gathered, the victim has a history of heart disease. His body was then taken to the Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar.
"Bali Governor Closes Beaches A Day After Reopening for Foreign Surfers" from The Jakarta Post: Bali Governor I Wayan Koster has said he would revoke Badung Tourism Agency's decision to reopen two beaches in Badung regency for foreign surfers. "I'll inform the head of [Badung] tourism agency that we haven't reopened our tourism yet. I disagree [with the reopening] and the decision should be annulled," Koster said... Koster said he had issued a circular that regulates the closure of tourist destinations in Bali until further notice and he had not yet revoked it. "We had instructed to close tourist attractions through a circular and we have not reopened them yet," he said.
"Airlines Claim PCR Tests Not Mandatory Depending on Destination City" from Indonesia Expat: Most airlines have stated that passengers can use either the rapid test or the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) swab test when intending to travel by air. "Passengers are required to ensure the documentation that they provide is in accordance with local city’s regulations because there are some local governments that require passengers to do a PCR test," said Lion Air’s Strategic Corporate Communications Head, Danang Mandala Prihantoro... He also noted that the cities requiring passengers to have completed a PCR test as part of their documentation such as Jabodetabek, Bali, Balikpapan, Pangkalpinang, Padang, and Tanjung Pandan. This means that passengers travelling to these cities are required to take a PCR test if they want to be able to successfully board their flight.
Other Headlines
"Unud Hospital Limits Swab Tests to Only 80 People Per Day" from Antara (Indonesian): "We limit the number of PCR swabs to 80 people per day," said Director of Unud Hospital, Dr. Dr. Putu Gede Purwa Samatra in Badung Regency, Bali, Wednesday. "If it's a rapid test there is no limit per day; usually on average every day more than 100 people who do rapid tests at this hospital." He explained the service was only carried out to prospective travelers, as evidenced by showing documents to travel before undergoing COVID-test 19... According to Dewa Putu Gede Purwa Samatra, after being appointed to examine the COVID-19 test, indeed the interest of the people who came and conducted the COVID-19 test at the Unud Hospital was quite high, making it also provide tents installed around the polyclinic area as efforts to maintain physical distancing of the people who are queuing to avoid crowds.
"Lion Air to Ground All Flights On Friday As Passengers Fail to Comply With Covid-19 Health Protocol" from The Jakarta Globe: Lion Air, the largest airline in Indonesia by fleet size, will ground all international and domestic flights on Friday until further notice – just five days after it resumed flying – after finding that most of its passengers have not been able to comply with the government's new Covid-19 health protocol. The group reopened for business on Monday but found most passengers were not able to meet health protocol requirements.
"Couple Flee After Receiving Rapid Test Results" from The Seminyak Times: A husband and wife from Lampung, Sumatra went to the PTN Udayana Hospital on Monday (1/6) to get a Covid-19 rapid test, but when they received the results they ran out of the hospital never to be seen again. "The husband’s results were negative. While his wife was reactive," said Managing Director of PT Unud Hospital, Putu Gede Purwa Samatra. According to the Covid-19 treatment protocol, if a rapid test result is reactive the person must then be isolated in the hospital.
"Three Medical Staff In Sanglah Hospital Test Positive for Covid-19" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Sanglah Hospital management said that three of its staff or medical personnel who have undergone swab tests have returned positive results for Covid-19. The condition of the three health workers is currently in improved condition and is still waiting for the next Swab test results... "Hopefully the next test results will be negative and they can be said to be healed," said Dr. Ketut Surya Negara Director of Medical, Nursing and Support Services at Sanglah General Hospital. Given the positive results among its health staff RSUP Sanglah has tightened patient procedures.
"Go Food Ensures Food Safety by Implementing Health Protocols" from Antara (Indonesian): Go Food has established six health protocols that need to be done by partners to ensure food hygiene for consumers. These include provisions for using masks for all employees, spraying disinfectants, checking body temperature regularly, the need for merchant partners to use food seals with safety tape seals, using stickers to keep a distance between the cashier and the driver partners who queue, and also provide a place to wash hands.
"After Laying Off 800 Contract Employees, Garuda Indonesia Terminates 150 Pilots" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Since May 14, Garuda Indonesia has laid off 800 contract employees and has been forced to put 70% of its aircraft into storage. In a written statement, President Director of Garuda Indonesia, Irfan Sebuahutra, confirmed the company's layoffs. "We need to convey an explanation that basically the policy that Garuda Indonesia is implementing is early settlement of employee employment contracts with the pilot profession in the status of work relations for a certain time. The policy is carried out with careful consideration while taking into account the rights of employees whose contracts are completed early. We are sure that Garuda Indonesia will be able to continue to survive and the Company's operational conditions will continue to improve and return conducive so that it can pass through a very challenging time for the aviation industry today, "he explained.
Non-Covid News of Note
"Bali Rocked By Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Bali was rocked by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake at 11:54 pm on Wednesday (3/6). Based on bmkg.go.id , the earthquake center occurred at a depth of 664 km, the location is 132 km northwest of Saringi Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). This earthquake did not cause a tsunami. Be aware of any subsequent earthquakes that might occur.
"Bali Needs to Stop Depending Solely On Tourism, Governor Says" from Coconuts: Bali Governor Wayan Koster said that his administration will be boosting other sectors of the local economy, including the creative economy and agriculture, as the province attempts to reduce its dependence on tourism... “So we need to start making an effort so that we are no longer depending solely on tourism. We need to think of other sectors to strengthen the economy in Bali, which is through export,” Koster said yesterday.“We will transform Bali into an export hub for other countries."
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.