Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia’s policy on Emergency Community Activity Restriction which is specifically implemented in the areas of Java and Bali islands from July 3 to 20, 2021, was expected to reduce the daily cases of COVID-19 in the country to less than 10,000.

"As we all know that the number of confirmed cases has been reaching the highest spike over the past week. Yesterday, the number stood around 21,800 cases, and 467 deaths. This is the highest in one and half years of COVID-19," Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan told a virtual press conference on Thursday.

He added that the current bed occupancy rate in hospitals has exceeded compared to that during the period of post-Christmas and New Year holidays.

“During Christmas and New Year, the occupancy rate was 52,000 beds, but now it has reached 72,000, an increase by 230 percent. This number is increasing exponentially," Luhut said.

Over the past week, the number of positive cases of the coronavirus in Indonesia has surpassed 20,000.

On Thursday (July 7), the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia was recorded at 24,836, or the highest since the first case of was confirmed in March last year.

Reporting by Indonesia Window