COVID-19 Referral Hospitals in Five Javanese Provinces Show Red Status, Bed Occupancy Rate Above 80 Percent

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) reported that the bed occupancy rate (BOR) of referral hospitals for Covid-19 isolation and intensive care in five provinces was in the red zone, exceeding 80%, as of July 20, 2021. Nationally, the average BOR for Covid-19 was 73.6%.

The top five regions with the highest bed occupancy rates were all dominated by Java Island. Yogyakarta led with an 87% Covid-19 hospital bed occupancy rate, followed by Banten (85%), East Kalimantan (81%), Jakarta (81%), and East Java (80%).

Other areas on Java Island with high Covid-19 bed occupancy rates include Lampung and South Sumatra, with BORs reaching 78% and 77%, respectively. The BOR for Covid-19 hospitals in West Java and Bali was 76%.

The government extended the emergency community activity restriction (PPKM) with a new term, PPKM Level 4. This policy will run until July 25, 2021. The hospital BOR approaching 80% prompted the government to tighten restrictions.

Relaxation of PPKM Level 4 will only occur if the hospital BOR remains below 80% consistently over time, accompanied by a decrease in the transmission rate of the coronavirus. If these criteria are met, the government will ease restrictions.

The government urges everyone to help reduce 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 suppressing the spread of the coronavirus.