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Jakarta Post

Health minister warns of new COVID-19 spike in mid-January

A spike in COVID-19 cases is predicted to happen around Jan. 16 to 18.

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, December 30, 2020

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Health minister warns of new COVID-19 spike in mid-January A medical worker sprays a disinfectant solution on bags carried by asymptomatic COVID-19 patients who just arrived at the isolation center at the Graha Wisata Ragunan in South Jakarta on Dec. 23. The patients were to stay at the center for 14 days. (JP/P.J. Leo)

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has warned of another COVID-19 case spike following the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

“Our past experience shows that the [COVID-19] infection rate goes up within 10 to 14 days after holiday periods end.

"Since the New Year holiday period will end on Jan. 1 or 2, the spike might occur around Jan. 16 to 18,” the newly appointed minister said as quoted by kompas.com.

Based on his observations, Budi explained that COVID-19 cases usually increased by 30 to 40 percent after a long holiday period. This was caused by the high mobility during that period, in which people were moving back and forth between places to spend the holidays.

To prevent such a spike, he urged people who traveled during the Christmas and New Year period to refrain from traveling afterward.

“It would be better if we spent more time working at home once we return from vacation, and refrain from mobility for the next five to 10 days,” Budi said.

Read also: In 'critical' condition, hospitals struggle to decide who gets into ICU

Furthermore, he warned the public to remain careful during the pandemic, especially since COVID-19 referral hospitals were almost completely full with patients. 

As an illustration, Budi explained, at least 30 percent of every 100 people who were infected with the coronavirus had to be treated at the hospital. Out of the 30 percent, 5 percent had to be treated in the ICU.

Therefore, Budi told the public to support the health workers by limiting their mobility after the long weekend.

“We could help our health workers by reducing the infection level, making sure that we are in good health, and minimizing our mobility over the first 10 days of 2021,” he said.

Data from the national COVID-19 task force show that the bed occupancy rate in COVID-19 hospitals nationwide has surpassed 55 percent as of Dec. 27. 

“The bed occupancy rate for isolation rooms in hospitals nationwide is at 62.63 percent, while the occupancy rate for ICUs is at 55.6 percent as of Dec. 27,” Wiku said during a virtual press conference broadcasted through the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel on Tuesday.

Read also: COVID-19 asymptomatic carriers urged to self isolate: Hospital association

Based on recent data from the Health Ministry, West Java topped the list of provinces by bed occupancy rates, followed by Yogyakarta, Banten, East Java, Central Java, Greater Jakarta, and South Sulawesi.

Wiku said that situation had led to an increased need of health facilities and equipment, such as protective gear and medicine. He also expressed concern that the situation would increase the COVID-19 infection risk among health workers.

Budi, however, assured the public that the government had prepared several measures to anticipate a surge in COVID-19 cases, such as checking with regional leaders to make sure their hospitals were well prepared to accommodate patients.

“We have enough isolation rooms, ICUs, beds, doctors, nurses as well as supplies of protective equipment, medicine and other necessities — some of which are still being prepared,” he said. (dpk)

Editor’s note: This article is part of a public campaign by the COVID-19 task force to raise people’s awareness about the pandemic.

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