Tuesday, January 26
Head of Gianyar Legislature calls for full, 2-week lockdown + Island has lost Rp. 116 trillion in tourism business during pandemic + Unud hospital's ICU has 75% Covid fatality rate + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Tuesday, January 26. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your Inbox every Monday-Friday 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 island community by clicking the button below.
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Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook
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: More improvement in yesterday's case numbers in Bali, with recoveries far outpacing new infections, relieving pressure on hospitals and isolation facilities. As the daily total seems to be moderating a bit and recoveries jump, the continued rise in fatalities is worrying, with yesterday’s total only 1 short of the all-time single-day record. The current spike in cases started about 10 days ago, so deaths from those could start happening any day now and could persist for weeks. Nationally, in what is now a rare occurrence, fewer than 10,000 cases were recorded (9,994), but when today’s figures are reported late this afternoon the country will pass 1 million confirmed infections.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers. And in case you missed it, check out Sunday’s update for a summary of last week’s overall totals, with perspective on how they stack up against previous weeks + detailed breakdowns of the virus’ spread on a Regency-by-Regency level.
The Big News
"As Covid-19 Cases Continue to Rise, Gianyar DPRD Chairperson Asks for 'Lockdown'" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): Chairman of the Gianyar DPRD, I Wayan Tagel Winarta Monday suggested that in handling COvid-19 the government could carry out a lockdown. He revealed that until now positive cases nationally, including Bali, have not decreased. The government seems to be half-heartedly implementing central and regional regulations. "Rather than half-measures, it’s better to lock down a total of two weeks," he said.
"Hit by the Pandemic, Bali Has Lost Rp. 116 trillion From Tourism" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office , Putu Astawa, said that the Covid-19 pandemic has hit Bali tourism badly. "From the foreign exchange reference, the foreign exchange loss is Rp. 9.7 trillion per month. So it remains only to calculate how many months we have not received (tourists). It's quiet. It's already Rp. 116 trillion per year if we calculate it," Astawa said. This situation is exacerbated by the existence of tightening through the imposition of restrictions on community activities (PPKM). "Maybe the end of the year or the children's school holidays or leave together there will definitely be an increase in the number of visits," he said.
HOSPITAL CAPACITY UPDATE:
"Sanglah Hospital: for Every Surgery, Patients Must Be Tested for Covid-19" from Antara (Indonesian)
"Above 75%, the Occupancy Rate of Wisma Atlet Hospital" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"For OTG Isolation and Mild Symptoms, Karangasem Adds 1 hotel in Denpasar" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
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Other Headlines
"The Death Rate of Covid-19 Patients in the ICU at PTN Unud Hospital Reaches 75%, Really?" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): RSPTN Unud is one of the special hospitals for handling COvid-19 in Bali. Since May 2020, the mortality rate in the hospital's ICU has continued to rise. Moset recently, data compiled by the Bali Post, the death rate for Covid-19 patients in the ICU at the PTN Unud Hospital is 75%. Only about 25% of patients who make it out of ICU care are alive. Director of PTN Unud Hospital, Dr. DPG Purwa Samatra, Sp.S (K), admitted that h did not know for sure the data in the ICU. However, even if it was like that, he admitted that he would make improvements in the future. "I don't know the exact number, but what is clear is that we will definitely fix it, he replied.
Today’s Prokes Patrols
Today, the media’s focus was on Denpasar, where police descended on a hard-hit village; on Tabanan, where authorities plan to create patrol posts at the sub-district level; and in Badung, where traffic police continue to prioritize enforcing health protocols over traffic violations:
"Appeal to Obey Prokes and Traffic Rules, Badung Police Routinely Mobilize Personnel" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
"PPKM is Extended, Tabanan Arranges New Scheme to Supervise Prokes" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Sidak Prokes in Padangsambian, This is Netted" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
VACCINATION UPDATE:
"To Date, 21% of Health Workers in Three Districts Have Been Vaccinated [with] Sinovac" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian)
"It Is Klungkung, Bangli And Karangasem's Turn To Receive Covid-19 Vaccine Rations" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
"Vaccines Arrive in Klungkung, Vaccinations Wait for the Regent's Readiness" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"Received 3,680 Cobid-19 Vaccines, This is the Number of Bangli Health Workers targeted for Vaccination" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
"The Response of the Head of Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Bali About Foreigners Inviting Foreigners to Indonesia' from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): [Another] foreigner has made a post on social media that invites and can help foreigners to enter Indonesia when the border to Indonesia is closed, with the exception of KITAS and KITAP holders. Instagram account @adreamerinthematrix uploaded a photo post with a caption inviting foreigners to come to Bali in the midst of the pandemic and contact me if you want to ask further questions, he will help. Responding to the upload, Kakanwil Kemenkumham Bali Jamaruli Manihuruk admitted that his party was conducting a search on the owner of the Instagram account. "We are looking into that. Currently, the name of a foreigner does not necessarily use the name according to his real identity," he said. "It needs further deepening, lest we catch the wrong person. It turns out that we are the ones being prosecuted. If the person is found guilty of violating the rules, then we will be deported."
"Checking The Existence Of Foreigners, Kanwil Kumham Bali Holds Supervision Operations" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian): The joint team of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kanwil Kumham), together with the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center conducted a surveillance operation for foreigners at the Baliarum Kerobokan Housing, Monday (25/1). This monitoring activity is carried out following up reports from the public regarding the number of foreigners who are at the housing location... According to the Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Jamaruli Manihuruk, during the implementation of the surveillance, officers checked the passports and residence permits of foreigners and conducted interviews to dig up information related to potential abuse of residence permits. From the results of examination of documents and interviews conducted by officers, there were no violations committed by foreigners who were in the housing complex.
"Foreigners Confide Choking Visa Fees in Bali during the Covid-19 Pandemic" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): During the Covid-19 pandemic, foreigners in Bali got dizzy. The reason is that every month they have to extend their visas to stay in Bali. The problem is, to extend this visa they have to pay a fee. "Many tourists do not come home for many reasons, such as health, security and others. We are currently living in Bali, with conditions like this, I hope there will be assistance with visa fee relief," said James, a resident from Malaysia... The man who was in Bali for 10 months or before this pandemic came to Bali on this business visa. Awal was given the grace not to pay at the start of the pandemic. After August, you have to pay a visit visa with a value of IDR 1.2 million per month until December. Well, in January he has to pay an E-Visa of Rp. 5 million, valid for 30 days of visit and after that 4 times or 4 months he will have to pay Rp. 800,000. "If you do not have money, you will be fined Rp1 million per day. I hope there will be mercy for us foreigners in Bali," he said.
"PPKM is Extended, Subsidies for Drivers' Antigen Rapid Test are Also Added" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): Since the implementation of the PPKM in mid-January, the antigen rapid test assistance at the laboratory clinic in Gilimanuk has been exhausted. And, for an extension to early February, 5,000 more antigen rapid test kits are added. Logistic vehicle drivers are free of charge, while PPDN for non-freight transport is also subsidized at half the base price. "For the rapid antigen test, it remains valid during the PPKM extension until February. It is mandatory to bring the antigen rapid test which is valid for one day befor entering Bali, said Head of Jembrana Transportation, maritime and Fisheries Service, I Made Dwi Maharimbawa.
Of Interest
"Grandson of the King in Denpasar Arrested for a Sabu-Sabu Party at the Villa" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Viral Video of PDIP Event in Bali [where Officials] Ignore Health Protocols" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
"Alert! All Districts in Klungkung Have the Potential for Landslides" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Monkeys Enter Hotel, Legian Residents are Restless" from The Denpasar Post (Indonesian)
"Hiding at an ATM, a Covid-19 Suspect Patient in Denpasar Escapes Accompanied by His Wife" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
"Hundreds of Chinese Citizens Entered Through Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Immediately Directed to Quarantine" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
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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We do not share rumors.
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For all stories marked "Indonesian" I have used Google Translate to convert it from Bahasa. In most cases I try to polish the excerpt and/or write a short summary in proper English to help clarify the details.
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