Indonesia's Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin. (Image via CNN Indonesia)

COVID-19's spike, Health Ministry: Just relax

Indonesia's Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, stated that he had asked the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to not panic if the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were spiking. It was due to the increasing efforts in testing, tracing, and treatment (3M) regionally and nationally.'

Speaking at Tuesday's meeting with the Commission IX of the People's Representatives Council (DPR), Budi Gunadi said that India is also doing and experiencing the same. He also said that increasing the 3T effort has to be done to assess COVID-19 widespread. For the Minister, the effort is the correct strategy. Moreover, Budi Gunadi also asked the Commission IX of DPR to help the Ministry assure the Indonesian people during the COVID-19 spike.

Also attending the meeting with Budi Gunadi, Deputy Minister of Health, Dante Saksono Harbuwono, also estimated that the positive COVID-19 cases in Indonesia might reach 1.7 million by the end of 2021. The estimation was obtained through the scenario if the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia remains the same until the end of the year. Dante also explained that the Ministry also made the estimation through several criteria.

The first calculation was made by taking the average of cases in June - October 2020, which was 2,557 cases. The second calculation was made by taking the average of cases in November - 24 January 2021, which was 6,800 cases.

Until Monday, the positive COVID-19 cases in Indonesia reached 1,166,079. From the number, 3`1,763 died, 963,028 recovered, and 171,228 others are still taking treatment and self-quarantine.

Source: https://bit.ly/3q4qFg1