Tuesday, May 26
21 more reactive Rapid Tests in Badung outbreak, swab test results pending + Health Minister unveils "New Normal" work guidelines + Schools not reopening in July + more!
Good morning! Welcome to the COVID-19 Update for Bali for Tuesday, May 26. 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
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 in this space, please send their information to newsletter@migrationmedia.net.
The Big News
"777 Werdi Bhuwana Residents Take Rapid Tests, 21 Reactive" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): After screening hundreds of people last week, the final batch of 777 residents of Br. Sayan Baleran, Werdi Bhuwana Village, Badung Regency, was givern Rapid Tests yesterday, both at otpostss set up across he region, but in people's homes. "Given that there has already been a local transmission where there have been 9 residents who are positive infected with Covid-19, so we need to intervene to carry out mass screening," said Head of Badung Regency Health Office, Dr. I Nyoman Gunarta... "So a total of 777 people were present and we found 21 people who were reactive. For those people, we immediately did a swab test at Mangusada Regional Hospital. Any people who have been among residents whose results are reactive, they will also take a swab test. While waiting for the results of the swab tests to come out, we will quarantine the residents at the shelter," he said.
"Health Minister Issues 'New Normal' Guidelines for Workplaces" from The Jakarta Post: Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto has issued new health protocols for workplaces to usher in the so-called "new normal" even as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise. In a ministerial decree issued on Saturday, Terawan detailed how offices and manufacturers should operate during the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB):
All workplaces, except those in essential sectors, to be temporarily shut down in areas enacting the PSBB.
Company management must create task forces to curb the spread of the disease. They should also ensure cleanliness and hygiene at the workplace and increase the number of hand-washing facilities.
Workplaces should do away with late-night shifts or at least only assign such shifts to workers under the age of 50.
Employees are required to maintain a safe physical distance at the workplace and wear masks.
Temperatures should be checked daily.
Companies are advised to set aside a time for employees to exercise together – while adhering to physical distancing guidelines – before work starts.
"Nadiem Makarim: Schools Reopening In July Is Untrue" from Indonesia Expat: As a precaution against the continued spread of coronavirus, schools across Indonesia have been closed since mid-March. Recently, there has been unfounded speculation about children returning to school. Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud), Nadiem Anwar Makarim confirmed that rumours of students returning to school in July were untrue. Decisions about the timing and learning methods going forward will be based on the consideration of the COVID-19 Handling Acceleration Task Force... "It must be known that the Ministry of Education and Culture is ready for all scenarios; we have various kinds. But of course, the decision is with the Task Force, not the Ministry of Education and Culture itself. So, we will execute and coordinate," he said in a written statement.
Other Headlines
"Anticipating Reverse Flow, Jembrana Task Force Increases Coordination" from Bali Express (Indonesian): Anticipating a reversal of the migration flow after Eid al-Fitr, Jembrana's Covid-19 Task Force is coordinating a response with the ASDP Gilimanuk Port... Jembrana Regent I Putu Artha expained that due to the fears of a surge in passengers returning to Bali, Gilimanuk Port authorities and the Jembrana Task Force have prepared several locations that will be used as a place for conducting Rapid Tests. That point was prepared to reduce crowds and keep implementing health protocols while maintaining physical distancing.
"8 Villages In Denpasar Have Proposed PKM, Officers Will Be More Firm" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): Three more villages and sub-districts in Denpasar City have submitted proposals for the implementation Restrictions on Community Activities (PKM) within their territories, bringing the total to 8. Spokesman for the Denpasar City Covid-19 Task Force, I Dewa Gede Rai, said thhat the proposals from all 8 villages and sub-districts is being discussed by the Task Force. The 8 villages and sub-districts that have requested permission to adopt the measures include Panjer Village, Pedungan Village, Sanur Kauh Village, Kaja Pemecutan Village, Ubung Village, Ubung Kaja Village, and Penatih Village, Denpasar and Sesetan Village or Sesetan Village, Bali.
"With Hotel Closed, Farmers In Baturiti Forced to Use Vegetables for Cow Feed" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): The closure of hotels and restaurants due to the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the absorption of farmers' vegetable harvests in Baturiti, Tabanan. The uptake of vegetable crops planted by farmers is usually more for hotel and restaurant standards so that they are not able to be sold in local markets. Vegetable farmers were forced to grab their crops for cattle feed. They finally swerved by planting vegetables that could be better absorbed by the local market.
Non-Covid News of Note
"Badung East Coast Region Invaded by Trash" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): The East Badung South coast region, namely the Tanjung Benoa and Nusa Dua beaches, has been continuously invaded by organic waste in the last few days. Garbage, which is mostly seaweed, almost daily fills the seashore. The Coordinator of the Detection of Sea Waste of the Badung Environment and Hygiene Office, Made Gede Dwipayana, said that this Monday alone, approximately 3 trucks - or 6 tons - of garbage have been cleaned up. He said the emergence of rubbish began in February, which is unlike previous years when the trash appeared in July or August. Since the start of its appearance, there have been 95 tons of garbage that have been collected- equal to more than 47 trucks.
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.