December 19, 2023
JAKARTA – Hundreds of new COVID-19 cases emerged last week in Greater Jakarta as health agencies urged residents to get vaccinated.
Authorities reported on Sunday that there had been an average of 200 cases per day in the city last week while in South Tangerang, Banten, 135 cases were recorded on Saturday.
“Around 90 percent of COVID-19 positive cases in Jakarta are asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic. It should subside after three to five days of self-quarantine,” said Jakarta Health Agency epidemiological surveillance and immunization head Ngabila Salama, as quoted by Antara news.
According to Ngabila, the number of cases is still under control as the bed occupancy in hospitals is around 50-60 hospitalized patients, or approximately 10 percent of total active cases in Jakarta.
Furthermore, Ngabila also urged the public to complete their COVID-19 vaccination as the number of active cases grows. Currently, Inavac vaccinations are accessible at Jakarta City Hall clinic, Tarakan City Hospital and community health centers (Puskesmas).
As of Sunday, the total vaccination rate in Jakarta amounted to 12.5 million people for the first dose, 10.9 million people for the second dose, 5.5 million people for the third dose, 724,553 for the fourth dose and 52 people for the fifth dose.
Ngabila also mentioned that those who want to get the COVID-19 vaccine can go directly to the locations and register in person.
“People do not need to select the vaccine brand again because any available brand can be injected for the first, second, third, fourth or fifth doses, regardless of the brand that has been injected in the past,” she said.
In South Tangerang, the patients who are infected by COVID-19 have also experienced mild symptoms and most of them have already undergone self-quarantine, according to Allin Hendalin Mahdaniar, head of South Tangerang Health Agency.
The agency is reinforcing community discipline in implementing health protocols and encouraging COVID-19 vaccination to avoid transmission.