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 Indonesia has become one of the epicentres of the global pandemic in
recent weeks, with positive COVID-19 cases leaping fivefold in the
past five weeks. This week, daily deaths hit record highs over
1,400, among the highest tolls in the world.
In its latest situation report, the WHO said strict implementation
of public health and social restrictions were crucial and called for
additional "urgent action" to address sharp rises in infections in
13 of Indonesia's 34 provinces.
"Indonesia is currently facing a very high transmission level, and
it is indicative of the utmost importance of implementing stringent
public health and social measures, especially movement restrictions,
throughout the country," it said.
Under Indonesia's partial lockdown, social restrictions such as
work-from-home and closed malls are limited to the islands of Java
and Bali and small pockets in other parts of the country. Large
sectors of the economy deemed critical or essential are exempt from
most, or some, of the lockdown measures.
On Tuesday, President Joko Widodo flagged an easing of restrictions
from next week, citing official data showing a fall in infections in
recent days, which epidemiologists say has been driven by a drop in
testing from already low levels.
"If the trend of cases continues to decline, then on July 26, 2021,
the government will gradually lift restrictions," Jokowi, as the
president is known, said.
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 Indonesia's daily positivity
rate, the proportion of people tested who are
infected, has averaged 30% over the past week
even as cases numbers have fallen. A level above
20% meant "very high" transmissibility, the WHO
said.
All but one of Indonesia's provinces have a
positivity rate above 20%, with the outlier,
Aceh, at 19%, the WHO said.
The senior minister in charge of the partial
lockdown, Luhut Pandjaitan, said easing of
restrictions could occur in areas where
transmission rates fell, hospital capacity
increased and the "sociological condition" of
residents demanded it.
Employer groups have warned of mass layoffs
unless restrictions are relaxed next week. Among
other measures, they want all operational staff
to be allowed to work at offices and factories
in critical and essential industries - which
include all export-orientated businesses, hotels
and IT firms.
(Reporting by Tom Allard; Editing by Ed Davies)
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