Number of COVID-19 recoveries in Jakarta finally surpasses deaths, official data show

Illustration of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the respiratory illness known as COVID-19. Photo: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Illustration of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the respiratory illness known as COVID-19. Photo: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Jakarta yesterday passed a statistical milestone with regards to the COVID-19 outbreak in the capital, as the number of total recoveries from the disease finally passed that of deaths.

Yesterday, the central government announced 83 new daily cases in the capital, as well as 71 recoveries and two deaths. The latest figures finally bring the recovered tally, which now stands at 412, above the death toll, 381, for the first time since official record-keeping began in early March.

As of yesterday, Jakarta has registered 4,033 confirmed COVID-19 cases, almost half of the national tally of 9,771.

According to data from the Jakarta Provincial Government, the number of recoveries have been on an upward trajectory since April 11, with yesterday’s 71 new recoveries being the highest daily increase yet. On a similar positive note, recent figures for the number of daily new cases seem to show that the curve is flattening, while the same could be said for deaths in the past week.

Indonesia’s COVID-19 task force earlier this week implied that the curve in Jakarta may be flattening soon as the spread of the disease has “slowed down significantly.” As such, the government is at least hopeful that Indonesians can get on with their normal lives by July.

But merely looking at official data may be dangerously misleading, especially with the lingering suspicion that COVID-19 deaths in Jakarta and Indonesia are likely to have been underreported.

A recent Reuters report showed 4,400 Jakarta funerals in March, which is around 40 percent higher than any month since at least 2018. Governor Anies Baswedan said he struggled to “find any other reason” to explain the surge than underreported COVID-19 deaths in the capital, which was likely due to the country’s low testing capability.

Furthermore, another Reuters report published this week suggested that more than 2,200 Indonesians have died with acute COVID-19 symptoms but had not tested positive for the disease. The official national death toll, as of April 29, is 773.



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