Top 10 Regencies/Cities with the Highest Percentage of Suspect Examinations per Week (Tuesday, February 14, 2023)

Anticipating the impact of the continuously rising Omicron variant, 152 regencies/cities aggressively conducted suspect testing, with a weekly percentage exceeding the national average. Data as of Tuesday, February 14, 2023, shows the national average testing rate at 7.42 percent. This suspect testing data is calculated based on the number of suspected individuals and close contacts compared to the number of people tested in each region, which is then reported to the Ministry of Health.

The top five, starting from the highest, are Mandailing Natal, Bima City, Simalungun, Kubu Raya, and Asahan, with ratios of 90 percent, 74.6 percent, 71.81 percent, 63.49 percent, and 53.37 percent, respectively.

Mandailing Natal ranks first. With a population of 463,910, its weekly suspect testing percentage is recorded at 90 percent. The latest positive rate is 0 percent. The positive rate in this region has decreased compared to the previous week.

Next is Bima City. The region's population is recorded at 191,790. In an effort to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, the weekly suspect testing percentage is 74.6 percent. The positive rate in this region is recorded at 0 percent, also down from the previous week.

Following this, Simalungun recorded 71.81 percent testing, Kubu Raya 63.49 percent, and Asahan 53.37 percent.

In anticipating the impact of Omicron in various regions, based on a recapitulation of national COVID data, 121 regencies/cities in Indonesia actively reported a higher weekly percentage of suspect testing than before. Meanwhile, 116 other regencies/cities recorded a lower weekly suspect testing percentage compared to the previous week.

Some of the regions outside Java with the highest weekly suspect testing percentage ratios include Mandailing Natal, Bima City, and Simalungun, with weekly suspect testing percentages of 90 percent, 74.6 percent, and 71.81 percent, respectively.

Although COVID-19 transmission has decreased in some areas, the government urges everyone to continue to 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.