he government has decided to maintain the least-stringent public activity restrictions (PPKM) nationwide for another few weeks despite concerns about the spike in COVID-19 infections in several parts of the country.
The extension of PPKM level 1 – the most relaxed of the four-tiered curbs – is effective starting on Tuesday until Aug. 15 in all regions across Java and Bali, and until Sept. 5 elsewhere in the country.
The decision was made after the government assessed the situation on the ground and considered advice from independent experts, Home Ministry director general for regional administration development Safrizal ZA said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Although there has been a spike in COVID-19 cases, the bed occupancy rate remains relatively stable," Safrizal said, signaling that the infections were less virulent.
"We urge the public not to panic and to remain disciplined in adhering to health protocols especially in enclosed and crowded areas."
Indonesia has seen an influx of COVID-19 transmissions since early June, mainly due to the fast-spreading Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5.
Read also: Jakarta feels COVID-19 pinch as calls grow to tighten curbs
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