COVID-19 Cases Soar; Anies Baswedan: We Increase Testing Capacity

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan claimed he was pleased to see the surge in daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city, reasoning it was in line with the local government’s goal to find positive infections.

Anies argued that to drop the number of cases was simple by just reducing the number of tests.

“But that is not our goal. Instead, we want to discover positive cases, isolate them. So we increase the testing capacity,” he said in Jakarta on Sunday, July 26.

By conducting more virus testing, he added, the number of positive cases would automatically surge. “When we find [new infections], it means we reduce the problem. Imagine if we do not do so, they (people contracting the virus) may infect it to their families and co-workers as they are not isolated,” Anies said.

Jakarta administration was determined to keep increasing the testing since the pandemic was still ongoing although the number of confirmed cases would surely rise, Anies asserted. The city has conducted 3,000-5,000 cases per day thus far.

“What we must observe is the positivity rate. How many people got tested and how many of them are confirmed to be positive,” the governor remarked.

Anies went on to say that the COVID-19 positivity rate could be considered safe if it is below 5 percent. Jakarta, meanwhile, was slightly above the safe rate at 5.2 percent. It can be declared an emergency when the rate hits 10 percent.

Therefore, Anies Baswedan underlined that his side would not decrease the testing capacity just to give a fake sense of safety for the public.

Read also: Jakarta's PCR Testing Capability Exceeded WHO's Standard: Anies

ANTARA