JAKARTA: Indonesia's health minister is leading a push for stricter controls as coronavirus cases surge to unprecedented levels, according to sources familiar with government discussions.
Coronavirus infections in Indonesia have tripled in the past month, overwhelming hospitals in the capital Jakarta and other centres on the heavily populated island of Java.
On Sunday, the country posted its fifth record daily high for COVID-19 cases in the past week, with 21,342 people confirmed as positive, equivalent to over a quarter of those tested.
Three sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin had urged tougher social restriction measures but was overruled. He is continuing to push his case, they said.
One of the sources said government meetings on the issue would take place this week.
Citing the need to safeguard Southeast Asia's biggest economy, Indonesia has rejected the lockdowns imposed by its neighbours and similar large developing countries like India. Instead Jakarta has opted for social restrictions targeting villages and neighbourhoods deemed "red zones" due to high infections, a policy known as PPKM Mikro.
President Joko Widodo on Friday said the current strategy was working but needed better enforcement.
Last week, the head of the country's COVID-19 taskforce, coordinating economy minister Airlangga Hartarto, banned religious activities at houses of worship, closed schools and bars and required offices, restaurants, cafes and malls to operate at 25% capacity in red zones for two weeks.
When Reuters enquired if the health minister wanted greater curbs on social mobility, a ministry spokesperson replied "in accordance with the current policy".
A spokesman for the president said: "Until now, we still have PPKM Mikro, empirically it is still very effective to control small areas."
INEFFECTIVE
The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) on Sunday called on the government to implement large-scale restrictions, especially across the island of Java, home to more than half the country's population of 270 million people.
The IDI said that 24 regencies and cities had reported isolation bed capacity at 90% full, while intensive care units in several areas were nearing 100% capacity and 30 doctors had died in June from COVID-19.
"If there is no firm intervention we will be like India," said Dr. Adib Khumaidi, head of the IDI's mitigation team, noting the surge in cases in the South Asian nation in April and May and the "collapse" of its health care system.
Earlier last week, the World Health Organisation and the Indonesian Hospital Association also called for tighter controls.
Public health experts have warned the government's current policy for social restrictions can't be fully implemented by poorly resourced local officials and don't account for people moving between red zones and other areas.
How villages and neighbourhoods are designated red zones is opaque and undermined by low rates of testing and contact tracing that masks the true extent of Indonesia's overall infection rate, they said.
Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, estimated half of people in red zones didn't follow instructions to work from home.
"My analysis from the last five months of the PPKM programme is that it hasn't been effective in the field," he told Reuters.
One source said that, among several options, presidential advisers were examining the lockdowns in India, where a fivefold increase in infections in little over a month was fully reversed in a similar time frame.
If guidelines followed by Indian states were adopted in Indonesia, lockdowns would be introduced in 31 of its 34 provinces where positivity rates are at 10 per cent or higher.
Adjusting for population size, Indonesia has about 40% of the intensive care beds in India, according to a study last year by Princeton University.
On Friday, the health minister announced plans for 7,000 more hospital beds in Jakarta dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
Reuters
Mon Jun 28 2021
![Health minister leads push for stricter curbs in COVID-ravaged Indonesia Health minister leads push for stricter curbs in COVID-ravaged Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-06/71624861117_INDONESIA.jpg)
A municipality worker wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) rests at the burial area provided by the government for victims of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia. REUTERSpic
![Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/81613025046_TBPelantarMinyak.jpg)
Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI
Malaysia akan kekal sebagai destinasi utama bagi pelaburan syarikat minyak nasional Thailand, PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), dalam jangka masa pendek dan panjang.
Jualan penyaman udara naik mendadak di negara Balkan
Menetap di negara sejuk, mereka tidak pernah terfikir memasang penyaman udara di dalam rumah memandangkan musim panas bukanlah setiap hari. Namun, cuaca panas melampau membuatkan mereka bertukar fikiran.
![Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-01/61706688348_wismaputra.jpg)
Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Kerajaan Malaysia mengecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan Masjid Al-Aqsa oleh ekstremis Zionis Israel pada 13 Ogos.
![Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723653359_TBMOKHTAR.jpg)
Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham
Ayah kepada penyanyi dan Youtubers Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar reda dengan pemergian anak lelakinya walaupun itu bukan pengakhiran yang beliau harapkan.
Ahli perniagaan diberkas, terlibat dalam aktiviti kumpulan mafia
Seorang ahli perniagaan Itali ditangkap di bandar Natal, Brazil pada selasa.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Srettha hormati keputusan mahkamah
Srettha Thavisin menghormati keputusan Mahkamah Perlembagaan Thailand yang memecatnya daripada jawatan Perdana Menteri.
Lahir empat hari lepas, bayi kembar maut angkara serangan rejim Zionis
Kembar lelaki diberikan nama Asser manakala Ayssel pula nama diberi buat kembar perempuan, kedua-duanya lahir pada 10 Ogos lepas.
Lelaki tikam ibu saudara direman tujuh hari
Seorang lelaki yang disyaki menikam ibu saudaranya di kepala dengan gunting, semalam direman selama tujuh hari hingga 21 Ogos ini.
PN senarai pendek tiga calon, akan diumum selepas PRK Nenggiri
Perikatan Nasional telah menyenarai pendek tiga calon untuk bertanding pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Mahkota yang dijadualkan berlangsung pada 28 September depan.
![10 cedera dalam kejadian reaktor kilang terbakar di Bintulu 10 cedera dalam kejadian reaktor kilang terbakar di Bintulu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41722145972_KebakaranGeneric.jpg)
10 cedera dalam kejadian reaktor kilang terbakar di Bintulu
Menurut PGOB kesemua mangsa yang cedera telah dikejarkan ke Hospital Bintulu untuk rawatan lanjut.
![PBB seru tindakan terhadap kadar kematian ibu bersalin yang tinggi di Indonesia PBB seru tindakan terhadap kadar kematian ibu bersalin yang tinggi di Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723595724_SandeepNanwani.jpg)
PBB seru tindakan terhadap kadar kematian ibu bersalin yang tinggi di Indonesia
Angka itu jauh lebih tinggi berbanding Singapura dengan tujuh kematian, Thailand 29 kematian dan Vietnam 46 bagi setiap 100,000 kelahiran.
![Indonesia adakan mesyuarat Kabinet pertama di ibu negara baharu Nusantara Indonesia adakan mesyuarat Kabinet pertama di ibu negara baharu Nusantara](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723452979_IbuKotaNusantara.jpg)
Indonesia adakan mesyuarat Kabinet pertama di ibu negara baharu Nusantara
Kerajaan Indonesia mengadakan mesyuarat Kabinet pleno pertamanya di Nusantara, ibu negara baharu yang terletak di wilayah Kalimantan Timur pada Isnin, lapor Xinhua.
![Olimpik Paris: Veddriq Leonardo raih emas pertama Indonesia Olimpik Paris: Veddriq Leonardo raih emas pertama Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723163763_VeddriqLeonardo.jpg)
Olimpik Paris: Veddriq Leonardo raih emas pertama Indonesia
Walaupun bermula perlahan, Veddriq, bekas pemegang rekod dunia, berjaya menewaskan atlet China, Wu Peng dengan catatan masa 4.75 saat.
![Indonesia haramkan enjin carian DuckDuckGo Indonesia haramkan enjin carian DuckDuckGo](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61722742719_tbDuckDuckGoPrivac.jpg)
Indonesia haramkan enjin carian DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo diharamkan disebabkan oleh sejumlah aduan yang diterima pihak kementerian berkenaan dengan hasil carian yang diperlihatkan olehnya.
![Indonesia naikkan had usia minimum pembelian rokok kepada 21 tahun Indonesia naikkan had usia minimum pembelian rokok kepada 21 tahun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81722424838_TBrokok.jpg)
Indonesia naikkan had usia minimum pembelian rokok kepada 21 tahun
Indonesia menaikkan had usia minimum untuk membeli rokok daripada 18 kepada 21 pada Rabu.
![Menteri yakin Indonesia muncul sebagai kuasa ekonomi masa depan Menteri yakin Indonesia muncul sebagai kuasa ekonomi masa depan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81722002597_TBTitoKarnavian.jpg)
Menteri yakin Indonesia muncul sebagai kuasa ekonomi masa depan
Menteri Dalam Negeri Tito Karnavian melahirkan keyakinan mengenai keupayaan Indonesia untuk muncul sebagai satu daripada kuasa ekonomi terkemuka dunia.
![Presiden Indonesia akan mula bekerja dari Nusantara mulai 28 Julai Presiden Indonesia akan mula bekerja dari Nusantara mulai 28 Julai](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-03/81679834610_TBJOJOKIW.jpg)
Presiden Indonesia akan mula bekerja dari Nusantara mulai 28 Julai
Bekalan air minuman akan siap untuk digunakan dalam beberapa hari akan datang di ibu kota baharu itu.
![Bukti manusia awal di Indonesia tambah pemahaman tentang migrasi kuno - Kajian Bukti manusia awal di Indonesia tambah pemahaman tentang migrasi kuno - Kajian](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721461834_tbPulauTanimbar.jpg)
Bukti manusia awal di Indonesia tambah pemahaman tentang migrasi kuno - Kajian
Penyelidik telah menemukan tanda-tanda pendudukan manusia di Indonesia lebih 40,000 tahun lepas yang mereka katakan menawarkan petunjuk baharu tentang migrasi awal melalui rantau ini, lapor Xinhua.
![Boeing setuju mengaku bersalah konspirasi penipuan dalam siasatan nahas maut 737 MAX Boeing setuju mengaku bersalah konspirasi penipuan dalam siasatan nahas maut 737 MAX](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41720433438_Boeing.jpg)
Boeing setuju mengaku bersalah konspirasi penipuan dalam siasatan nahas maut 737 MAX
Boeing bersetuju untuk mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan konspirasi penipuan jenayah serta membayar denda AS$243.6 juta bagi menyelesaikan siasatan berhubung kes kemalangan maut dua pesawat 737 MAX.
![Hasyim Asy'ari dipecat sebagai Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum Indonesia Hasyim Asy'ari dipecat sebagai Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720088293_HasyimAsyari.jpg)
Hasyim Asy'ari dipecat sebagai Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum Indonesia
DKPP Indonesia telah memecat Hasyim Asy'ari daripada jawatannya sebagai Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Umum (KPU), atas tuduhan melanggar etika profesional.