Unwilling to be caught off guard and continuing efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19, currently 157 regencies/cities are aggressively conducting weekly suspect testing percentages above the national average. Data as of Tuesday, November 1, 2022, shows the national average testing rate at 12.53 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, Tasikmalaya, Tidore Islands City, and Balangan, with percentages of 93.4 percent, 82.12 percent, 81.56 percent, 76.15 percent, and 74.38 percent, respectively.
Simalungun is ranked first. With a population of 877,710, the weekly suspect testing percentage here is recorded at 93.4 percent. The latest positive rate is 4.32 percent. The positive rate in this region increased compared to the previous week's ratio.
Next is Mandailing Natal. The population in this region is recorded at 460,360. In an effort to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, the weekly suspect testing percentage is 82.12 percent. The positive rate in this region is recorded at 0.47 percent, or higher than the previous week's ratio.
Furthermore, the weekly suspect testing percentage in Tasikmalaya is recorded at 81.56 percent; Tidore Islands City, with a population of 101,620, has a weekly suspect testing percentage of 76.15 percent; and Balangan has a weekly suspect testing percentage of 74.38 percent.
Anticipating the impact of Omicron in various regions, based on a recapitulation of national Covid data, there are 201 regencies/cities in Indonesia that actively report a higher daily weekly suspect testing percentage than before. Meanwhile, 142 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 Simalungun, Mandailing Natal, and Tidore Islands City, with weekly suspect testing percentages of 93.4 percent, 82.12 percent, and 76.15 percent, respectively.
Although Covid-19 transmission in some areas has decreased, 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.