TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the COVID-19 Task Force from the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) Zubairi Djoerban predicted that Indonesia is entering the COVID-19 fourth wave. He was certain that the country has entered the endemic phase considering the recent significant surge in the daily case number.

Zubairi recorded a fairly high spike in daily infections starting July 2, which amounted to 1,794. The figure continued to rise to 3,822 cases with 12 deaths last Wednesday, July 13, albeit it slightly decreased to 3,584 new cases and nine deaths on Thursday, July 14, 2022.

The IDI Task Force thus asked the public to be more careful, keep complying with the health protocols to prevent the virus transmission, and immediately get a vaccine booster shot.

“But people should not panic because the case hike in Indonesia is much lower than in other countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand,” he said on Thursday.

Zubairi also supported the government's call to remind the public to stay wearing masks indoors and outdoors.

Previously reported, the government’s spokesman for COVID-19 handling Wiku Adisasmito announced that the virus transmission is increasing again in the community, especially in the Java-Bali regions. The weekly COVID-19 positivity rate in the country has exceeded the WHO’s safe standard of five percent.

“Our weekly positivity rate increased in the second week of July to 5.12 percent,” said Wiku.

ANTARA

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