PALANGKA RAYA – EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION BUREAU. The Central Kalimantan Provincial Task Force for Handling COVID-19, through the Public Communications Team Task Force, released the data of handling the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday (2/3/2022) until 03.00 p.m. In the written release, the Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Handling Task Force Team also conveyed information from the Central COVID-19 Handling Task Force, regarding the results of the Risk Categorization for the Increasing Cases based on the release of Bersatu Lawan COVID-19 application.

Through a release issued by the Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Handling Task Force, it was stated that the Central COVID-19 Task Force submitted the results of the Risk Categorization for the Increasing Cases based on the release of Bersatu Lawan COVID-19 application on 27 February 2022. Each indicator (epidemology, public health surveillance, and health services) are scored and weighted and then added up. The calculation results are categorized into 4 risk zones, namely: High Risk Zone (0 – 1.8), Medium Risk Zone (1.81 – 2.4), Low Risk Zone (2.41 – 3.0), and Not Affected Zone (no positive COVID-19 cases recorded).

It was explained that when compared to the previous weekly data update on 20 February 2022, there were 11 regencies/municipality that were at moderate risk, namely Palangka Raya, Katingan, East Kotawaringin, Lamandau, Seruyan, Pulang Pisau, Kapuas, Gunung Mas, South Barito, East Barito, and Murung Raya. Then, 3 regencies were at low risk, namely West Kotawaringin, Sukamara, and North Barito.

Then, if viewed as a whole from the Risk Assessment Results for the Increasing Cases of COVID-19 transmission, Central Kalimantan Province is at Medium Risk with a score of 2.17, the status is affected. In conclusion, the trend of cases of the COVID-19 transmission has increased because 11 regencies/municipality are in the Medium Risk Zone and 3 regencies are in the Low Risk Zone.

The Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Handling Task Force team appealed that in addition to vaccination, the implementation of health protocols as a living habit is a demand in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people have complied with health protocols, but there are still others who lack the awareness to apply the 5M principles, namely wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, and reducing mobility.

5M’s healthy behavior is a very important prevention effort. Everyone must be willing and able to make changes to 5M compliance behavior, so as to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Furthermore, in this release, the Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Handling Task Force Team conveyed the accumulated data up to Wednesday (2/3/2022) at 03.00 p.m., where it was stated that the confirmed cases had again increased as many as 321 people, namely in Palangka Raya (149 people), Katingan (8 people), East Kotawaringin (29 people), West Kotawaringin (12 people), Lamandau (4 people), Sukamara (8 people), Seruyan (8 people), Pulang Pisau (13 people), Kapuas (33 people), Gunung Mas (9 people), South Barito (21 people), East Barito (12 people), North Barito (2 people), and Murung Raya (13 people), so from 53,503 people to 53,824 people.

Meanwhile, the recovered patients also increased by 278 people, namely in Palangka Raya (57 people), Katingan (34 people), East Kotawaringin (46 people), West Kotawaringin (11 people), Lamandau (4 people), Sukamara (4 people), Seruyan (16 people), Pulang Pisau (19 people), Kapuas (31 people), Gunung Mas (7 people), South Barito (4 people), East Barito (7 people), and North Barito (38 people), so from 47,970 people to 48,248 people.

In addition, patients under treatment increased by 42 people, so from 3,917 to 3,959 people. The death case increased by 1 person, namely in Palangka Raya, from 1,616 people to 1,617 people, with a mortality rate (CFR) of 3.0%.

For Bed Occupancy in Hospitals (BOR), Intensive Beds increased in Bed Occupancy (2.44%), so from 41.46% to 43.90%, where there were 3 Regencies/Municipality with BOR above 50%, namely West Kotawaringin, Palangka Raya Municipality, and Murung Raya. Meanwhile, Insulation Beds decreased in Bed Occupancy (8.36%), so from 26.79% to 18.43%, in which there was 1 regency whose BOR was above 50%, namely Murung Raya.

Then, the Task Force also mentioned the achievement of the vaccination target of 2,036,104, of which the realization of Dose I Vaccination at the Central Kalimantan Province level had reached 92.57%. All regencies/municipality have achieved above 70% of Dose I Vaccination.

In addition, according to Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 11 of 2022 dated February 14, 2022 concerning the Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities at Level 3, Level 2, and Level 1 and Optimizing the Command Post for Handling Corona Virus Disease 2019 at the Village and Sub-District Levels to Control the Transmission of Corona Virus Disease 2019 in Sumatra, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua, for regencies/municipality in Central Kalimantan Province, there are three criteria, namely Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 which are valid until February 28, 2022.

Regencies/municipality with these criteria, namely: Level 1 consists of Kotawaringin Barat and Pulang Pisau; Level 2 consists of South Barito, North Barito, Seruyan, Sukamara, Lamandau, Gunung Mas, Murung Raya, and East Barito; and Level 3 consists of East Kotawaringin, Kapuas, Katingan, and Palangka Raya.

The Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Handling Task Force team always reminds the entire community to remain disciplined in complying with health protocols and supporting the Government’s efforts to break the chain of the COVID-19 transmission. “For people who are not aware of the health protocols, remember! 5M is mandatory (wearing masks, washing hands with soap in running water or cleansing hands with sanitizers, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, and reducing mobility). Then, also to be disciplined in carrying out 3T (Testing, Tracing, and Treatment) and immediately get vaccinated so that more people are protected and this COVID-19 will soon pass in Central Kalimantan and all over the world,” said the Task Force. (renn/transl.feb)