Jakarta's COVID-19 Positivity Rate is Over Three Times the WHO Standard

Based on a report from the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, the Covid-19 positivity rate in Jakarta reached 15.1% as of July 11, 2022.

This figure is three times higher than a month ago. On June 11, 2022, the Covid-19 positivity rate in DKI Jakarta was still at 5%.

Compared to two months prior, the positivity rate has even increased almost 14-fold. On May 11, 2022, the Covid-19 positivity rate in the capital city was only 1.1%.

The current DKI Jakarta positivity rate significantly exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 5%.

The positivity rate is the proportion of people who test positive for infection out of the total number of people tested. A low figure indicates that only a small number of people are infected from the entire tested population. Conversely, a high figure indicates a greater number of infections and suggests an increase in community transmission.

The increase in the positivity rate should be a cause for concern, especially with the emergence of new coronavirus variants such as BA.4 and BA.5, which are reportedly more transmissible than previous variants.

Epidemiologist Dicky Budiman from Griffith University, Australia, stated that adherence to health protocols remains crucial in addressing this situation.

"As long as our response is also correct, disciplined 3T and 5M, and vaccination, actually, regardless of the variant, the wave (of Covid-19), we are much safer if we are willing to maintain it together," said Dicky, as quoted by Republika on Tuesday (12/7/2022).