The Delta variant is now the major cause of current COVID-19 infections in Jakarta, the government said, while urging citizens not to take the pandemic lightly.
In a press conference yesterday evening, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who’s overseeing the implementation of the Emergency Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (Emergency PPKM), announced new data on the spread of the more infectious Delta variant in the capital.
“From the data we have, we know that 90 percent [of cases] in Jakarta are from the Delta variant,” Luhut said.
“If we mess around, we will see people around us [get COVID-19].”
The government began implementing Emergency PPKM on July 3, and the measures are expected to be enforced until at least July 20.
Yesterday, on the first Monday since Emergency PPKM was enforced, several of Jakarta’s major roads were gridlocked during the morning work commute hours, possibly pointing to general disregard for the full work from home policy under the restrictions.
Related — What PPKM? Jakarta gridlocks raise questions about new restrictions on first work day
Indonesia yesterday recorded 29,745 new COVID-19 cases, an all-time high for daily infections in the country. Provincially, Jakarta unfortunately led the list with 10,903 cases in a single day.
Sadly, 120 people succumbed to COVID-19 in the capital yesterday, bringing the province’s death toll to 8,712 as of July 5.
