TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Task Force for COVID-19 Response has revealed that the country has recorded a 32.9-percent increase in weekly coronavirus cases, with five provinces accounting for most of the new infections.

The five provinces are — West Java, Central Java, East Kalimantan, DKI Jakarta, and East Java.

"The five highest increases in weekly cases are in West Java, with a more than 100-percent surge from 707 cases to 1,681 cases; Central Java, up 56.4 percent from 837 cases to 1,309 cases; and East Kalimantan, up 39.2 percent from 732 cases to 1,019 cases," Wiku Adisasmito, spokesperson for the task force said during an online press conference from the Presidential Office, here on Tuesday.

In Jakarta, the weekly tally has jumped 36.9 percent from 4,067 cases to 5,568 cases, and in East Java, it has increased 20.8 percent from 2,401 cases to 2,901 cases, he added.

The weekly death toll has also increased by 24.4 percent.

"The highest mortality rate has been recorded in Central Java, up more than 100 percent, from 60 to 144 deaths, and (the death rate in) Aceh also increased by more than 100 percent from 6 to 29 deaths," he noted.

Bali has reported a more than 100-percent jump in weekly fatalities from 2 deaths to 13; the number of deaths in Riau have also climbed over 100 percent from 4 deaths to 11; and, in East Java, the death rate has risen from 149 to 177, an increase of 18.8 percent.

The national recovery rate is currently pegged at 72.18 percent, he said.

The highest number of recoveries have been reported in Central Sulawesi (90.87 percent), Bangka Belitung Islands (90.79 percent), West Nusa Tenggara (88.14 percent), Gorontalo (86.87 percent), and Bali (85.76 percent).

However, the COVID-19 task force has also identified five provinces with the lowest recovery rate — Aceh (15.38 percent), Jambi (49.34 percent), Bengkulu (53.06 percent), Riau (55.49 percent), and West Java (55.81 percent).

"This condition must be improved so that the overall national figure can get better," Adisasmito pointed out.

The task force has also noted that, as of August 30, 2020, the number of red zones, or regions with a high risk of COVID-19 infections, have increased significantly to 65 from 32 districts and cities previously.

Furthermore, the number of districts and cities categorized as moderate risk zones have increased to to 230 from 222 earlier; the number of low-risk zones have declined to 151 districts and cities from 189 districts; 42 districts and cities have recorded no fresh cases; and, 26 districts and cities have remained free from COVID-19 cases, down from 30 previously.

The districts and cities added as red zones include Bekasi City, Bekasi district, Depok (West Java), Tangerang district, Tangerang district (Banten), North Penajam Paser (East Kalimantan), Surakarta, Semarang (Central Java), and Malang, Banyuwangi, Blitar City, Malang City, Pasuruan City, and Batu City (East Java).

Other new red zones are South Aceh, West Aceh, Pidie, Southwest Aceh, Nagan Raya, Banda Aceh City (Aceh province), Dairi, Binjai City, Tebing Tinggi City, Gunungsitoli City (North Sumatra), and Pekanbaru City (Riau), Lubuklinggau City (South Sumatra), Batam City (Riau Islands), Tabanan, Klungkung, Bangli, Karangasem (Bali), Sumbawa, Mataram City (NTB), Banjar, Barito Kuala, Banjarmasin City (South Kalimantan), Minahasa, Minahasa North, City of Manado (North Sulawesi), Kendari (Southeast Sulawesi), and Sorong (West Papua).

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