Thursday, May 21
Over 270 members of military & 250 civilians get rapid tests in Denpasar + Pres. Widodo backs down from re-opening, says there are no plans to ease PSBB + Local transmission driving new cases + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Thursday, May 21. 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:
Today's Regency Numbers
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
Each weekday we'll let you know about an organization or a person who is trying to make a difference for the people of Bali in these difficult times, and how you can pitch in.
Project Masker: At the foundation of the Project Masker effort are local Balinese seamstresses who are making stylish face masks for purchase. For every mask sold, Project Masker donates one to various organizations, charities, and individuals who are providing social services to people in need in Bali. They also accept donations that go towards the production of masks that they then give away to these groups. This creates a virtuous circle where locals are employed producing goods that are then used locally, ensuring that all resources devoted to the cause achieve maximum impact. Finally, to make sure that their masks last, they also gather donations of soap from people and hotels that can be used to wash them for re-use. You can see updates on their Instagram page, and you can send the team a message about buying masks or making a donation over on their Facebook page.
Please visit this page to see a list of all of the efforts that we've featured so far. If you know anyone who is raising funds, delivering food, organizing volunteers, or otherwise trying to rally people to the cause of assisting our neighbors here in Bali, please let us know by sending an email to newsletter@migrationmedia.net.
The Big News
"274 TNI Personnel [and 250 Civilians] Take 'Rapid Test' from Antara (Indonesian): A total of 274 personnel consisting of Indonesian Army, Navy and Air Force took part in a rapid test in Denpasar. The tests were given in response to the recent uptick in confimred cases on the island. "For the rapid test results of 274 personnel the results were non-reactive," said Major Arm Ida Bagus Putu Diana Sukertia... "Everything will be tested quickly to be sure that everything is safe and well protected. In addition, 250 general public also take part in a rapid test because there are still many people who carry out social activities," said Commander IX / Udayana Maj. Gen. Benny Susianto. He said that around April to the third week of May showed a decrease in cases. Since the last two days it has been quite high, but daily the cure rate has also increased. "Addition must be there, because this has become a global epidemic, there are still activities of our people who have returned from abroad to come here," he said.
"President Jokowi: There Is No PSBB Easing Policy" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): President Joko Widodo stressed that until now the government has not issued a policy of easing towards large-scale social restrictions. "I want to emphasize that there is no PSBB easing policy. Do not appear wrong assumptions in the community that the government has begun to loosen PSBB," he said... What is currently being studied by the government is the scenario of several stages which will later be decided if the best period for the community to be productive again is still safe from Covid-19. This determination must be based on data and facts in the field. "Let everything be clear. Because we must be careful, we must not be mistaken in our decision," he said.
"Local Transmission of COVID-19 Dominates New Cases In Bali" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): The number of COVID-19 positive cases in Bali due to local transmissions has soared. In total, there were seven cases of local transmission reported on Wednesday In addition, there was also one Indonesian migrant worker (PMI) who contracted COVID-19. According to the head of Bali's COVID-19 Task Force, Dewa Indra, the cumulative number of COVID-19 positive patients due to local transmission is now 148 people.
Other Headlines
"Lion Air and Batik Sanctioned for Overloading Flight to Bali" from The Seminyak Times: Lion Air Group was sanctioned by the Ministry of Transport yesterday with the suspension of flight permits for their Jakarta-Denpasar route due to violations of Covid-19 prevention protocols. As a result, all Batik Air and Lion Air flights on the Jakarta-Denpasar route are now temporarily suspended... On Thursday, may 15, Batik Air flight #6506 from Soekarno-Hatta – Denpasar flew six business class guests and 100 economy class passengers. On flights during large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), Lion Air Group aircraft can only carry a maximum of 90 passengers.
"Amid Buzz About Tourism Re-opening and Worried About A COVID-19 Wave II, Bali's Deputy Governor Discusses Plans" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Deputy Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati ("Cok Ace"), said that he hoped that by the end of May, Bali could press the positive COVID-19 number to zero. So it is estimated that in the next six months, the Provincial Government (Pemprov) of Bali can be maximized for the recovery of the tourism sector... Coordination meetings related to Tourism Recovery Preparation have been held since last Thursday. The agenda is the formulation and synergy of a joint strategy to restore national tourism, especially Bali. The Ministry of Tourism also formulated the CHS ( Cleanliness, Health, Safety ) program as a post -emic tourism tagline . "When we enter the new normal world , all new habits that were not considered normal now are normal. For that reason, the implementation of CHS is very appropriate now, "said Cok Ace. Is Bali really ready to enter the new normal , or have to worry? The following responses from the Bali Provincial Tourism Office...
"A Ray of Hope in Bali's Recovery: BUMN Minister Declares Hotels In ITDC Nusa Dua Complex Can Accept Bookings Starting from June 8" from Bali Discovery: The Minister for State-owned Enterprises (BUMN), Erick Thohir, has said that starting on June 8, the public can make bookings for a stay at the Nusa Dua Complex operated by the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC). Malls and retail shops owned by BUMN are allowed to reopen on June 1 with other BUMN operations to open the following week on June 8.
"Bali Named Among Top Post-pandemic Destinations" from The Jakarta Post: Dutch online ticketing company Booking.com has recorded growing wishlists on its app, listed by people in quarantine around the world in March and April. On the list, Bali ranks second among the most desirable tourist destinations... The island is listed along with international destinations such as Andalusia and Catalonia in Spain, as well as Florida in the United States. Krasnodar Krai in Russia tops the list. The data was compiled in March and April and compared to similar data in March and April 2019.
"Not Wearing Masks In Bali? Get Ready to Be Punished [Video]" from Detik (Indonesian): Residents in North Kuta, Bali conduct spot checks to monitor residents still wearing masks when leaving the house. Anyone who violates will be punished by being forced to dance with the officers. (Full story here.)
Non-Covid News of Note
"Bali to Be Hit by Strong Winds for Three Days" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Strong winds are predicted to blow across most parts of Bali for the next three days, acorrding to the Head of the Data Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Region III Denpasar, Iman Faturahman. The strong wind gusts that crossed the Bali region will be caused by the effect of the low pressure center in western Sumatra.
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.