Top 10 Regencies/Cities with the Highest Number of Individuals Tested (Thursday, March 16, 2023)

Unwilling to be caught off guard and continuing efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, currently 131 regencies/cities are aggressively conducting Covid-19 tests above the national average. Data as of Thursday, March 16, 2023, shows the national average testing rate is 0.28 people per 1000 population/week.

The top five, starting from the highest number of people tested per 1000 population/week, are Halmahera Tengah (8.44 people), Indragiri Hulu (3.37 people), Central Jakarta (2.42 people), Balikpapan (2.41 people), and Purwakarta (2.14 people).

Halmahera Tengah ranks first. With a population of 59,226, the number of people tested here is recorded at 8.44 per 1000 population/week. The latest positive rate is 0 percent. The positive rate in this region has decreased compared to the previous week's percentage.

Next is Indragiri Hulu. The population in this region is recorded at 453,480. In an effort to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people tested is 3.37 per 1000 population/week. The positive rate in this region is recorded at 0.07 percent, an increase compared to the previous week's ratio.

Furthermore, Covid-19 testing in Central Jakarta recorded 2.42 people per 1000 population/week, Balikpapan 2.41 people per 1000 population/week, and Purwakarta recorded 2.14 people per 1000 population/week.

Anticipating the impact of Omicron in various regions, based on a recapitulation of national Covid data, there are 151 regencies/cities in Indonesia that actively report a higher daily number of people tested than before. Meanwhile, 119 other regencies/cities recorded a lower number of people tested compared to the previous week.

Areas outside Java with the highest number of people tested include Halmahera Tengah, Indragiri Hulu, and Balikpapan, with 8.44, 3.37, and 2.41 people tested, respectively.

Although Covid-19 transmission has decreased in some areas, the government urges everyone to continue reducing Covid-19 transmission by always wearing masks, maintaining distance, and frequently washing hands with soap and running water. Avoiding crowds and reducing mobility also contribute to curbing the spread of the coronavirus.