Papua's COVID-19 Cases Remain High; Vaccination Coverage Below 50%

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto reported the latest trend on active COVID-19 cases and vaccination in the country. He highlighted that Papua still logged a high number of positive cases.

“[There were still] high numbers of cases in Papua and Lampung,” said Airlangga, who is also the chairman of the COVID-19 Handling Committee, after a limited meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday, April 18.

According to him, Papua recorded around 12,000 active cases and there were 7,400 active cases in Lampung. West Sumatra reported 2,500 active cases. “Other regions have under a thousand [of active cases],” Airlangga added.

The high number of active cases in Papua and several other regions contradicted the national number which continued to plummet. As of last Sunday, Airlangga said the national active cases were logged at only 60,475 and the daily addition were 602 cases, down by 90 percent and 99 percent respectively compared to those in April 2021. 

The hospital bed occupancy rate (BOR) for COVID-19 patients also declined to an average of four percent.

In addition to active cases, Airlangga said that the first dose vaccination coverage in Papua and West Papua was below 70 percent. Meanwhile, the second dose vaccination coverage in both provinces was below 50 percent.

Read: Indonesia's COVID-19 Update; West Papua Reports Highest Number of Cases

FAJAR PEBRIANTO