TEMPO.CO, Bekasi - Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi announced today, July 1, that he was determined to extend the proportional large-scale social restrictions or PSBB in the city until the next fourteen days or July 15, 2020, following Jakarta’s decision.

“I personally want to extend it for a month,” said Rahmat on Wednesday. According to him, the order is prolonged since the city is still categorized as the Covid-19 yellow zone.

Besides, Bekasi has become the epicenter of the virus transmission along with Depok, Bogor, and Bekasi Regency. “These are steps of adaptation,” he added.

Rahmat reported that the Covid-19 reproduction number in his region now hit 0.51. By means, one patient may not transmit the novel coronavirus to others. Meanwhile, the trend of virus transmission during the adaptation to a new normal era occurs within a family.

“There is yet a report on virus transmission in restaurants, entertainment places, or tourist destinations,” Rahmat claimed.

Based on the latest data, Bekasi city now has 20 Covid-19 positive cases, while the tally since the first case in March reached 408 people with 35 death tolls.

Rahmat stated that the local government had always maintained the stock of rapid and PCR tests to detect the virus infection, yet the number is now declining. “There are only around a thousand of rapid test kits, and some 2,000 PCR test kits,” said Bekasi Mayor.

Read: Traditional Market Traders in Bekasi Test Positive for COVID-19

ADI WARSONO