Top 10 Regencies/Cities with the Highest Percentage of Suspect Examinations per Week (Week of March 5, 2023)

Unwilling to be caught off guard and continuously striving to curb the spread of Covid-19, currently 148 regencies/cities are aggressively conducting weekly suspect testing percentages above the national average. Data for the week of March 5th, 2023, shows the national average testing rate at 6.61 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 weekly suspect testing percentage, are Mandailing Natal (86.24%), Sigi (69.57%), Bima City (66.67%), Simalungun (58.72%), and Bima (57.65%).

Mandailing Natal ranks first. With a population of 463,910, the weekly suspect testing percentage is recorded at 86.24 percent. The latest positive rate is 0 percent. The positive rate in this region has decreased compared to the previous week's ratio.

Next is Sigi. The population in this region is recorded at 245,710. In an effort to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, the weekly suspect testing percentage is 69.57 percent. The positive rate in this region is recorded at 0 percent, or has decreased compared to the previous week's ratio.

Then, for the weekly suspect testing percentage in Bima City, it is recorded at 66.67 percent, 58.72 percent in Simalungun, and Bima, with a population of 520,990, has a weekly suspect testing percentage of 57.65 percent.

Anticipating the impact of Omicron in various regions, based on the national Covid data recapitulation, there are 78 regencies/cities in Indonesia that actively report a higher weekly suspect testing percentage than before. Meanwhile, 68 other regencies/cities recorded a lower weekly suspect testing percentage compared to the previous week's testing.

Regions outside Java with the highest weekly suspect testing percentages include Mandailing Natal, Sigi, and Bima City, with weekly suspect testing percentages of 86.24 percent, 69.57 percent, and 66.67 percent, respectively.

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