Top 10 Regencies/Cities with the Highest Percentage of Suspect Examinations per Week (Tuesday, August 30, 2022)

With the increasing rate of Omicron in Indonesia, 168 regencies/cities are aggressively conducting weekly suspect testing percentages above the national average. Data as of Tuesday, August 30, 2022, shows the national average testing rate at 9.43 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 Simalungun, Mandailing Natal, Pangandaran, Tasikmalaya, and Balangan, with ratios of 88.4 percent, 79.34 percent, 75.68 percent, 74.5 percent, and 54.98 percent, respectively.

Simalungun is ranked first. With a population of 877,710, the weekly suspect testing percentage is recorded at 88.4 percent. The latest positive rate is 7.89 percent. The positive rate in this region increased compared to the previous week's ratio.

Next is Mandailing Natal. The population of this region is recorded at 460,360. In an effort to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, the weekly suspect testing percentage is 79.34 percent. The positive rate in this region is recorded at 0 percent, having decreased compared to the previous week's ratio.

Then, Pangandaran recorded 75.68 percent testing, Tasikmalaya recorded 74.5 percent, and Balangan recorded 54.98 percent.

Anticipating the impact of Omicron in various regions, based on the national COVID data recapitulation, there are 207 regencies/cities in Indonesia actively reporting a higher daily weekly suspect testing percentage than before. Meanwhile, 149 other regencies/cities recorded a lower weekly suspect testing percentage compared to the previous week's testing.

Some of the regions outside Java with the highest weekly suspect testing percentage ratios include Simalungun, Mandailing Natal, and Balangan, with weekly suspect testing percentages of 88.4 percent, 79.34 percent, and 54.98 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 rate of coronavirus transmission.