The Jakarta Health Agency (Dinkes) confirmed that the peak of the arcturus wave of deaths had passed last week.

This week's trend has been downward

Epidemiology and Immunization Surveillance Section Head, Ngabila Salama said there were 818 new positive cases and 6 new deaths in the last four days, May 15-18, 2023.

“This week's trend has been downward. When compared to the same period last week, there were 12 new positive cases and 1,942 new deaths, meaning that the condition is much more under control," she expressed, Saturday (5/20).

Even though the WHO has revoked the emergency status of COVID-19, periods of increased cases can still occur periodically every three to six months, as can influenza or other seasonal infectious diseases.

Moreover, data on long covid in children and adults was also minimal, even though mortality in children with COVID-19 is very low in 2023, which is 0.16 percent of total deaths.

"Hopefully, the peak of death has passed last week," she stressed.

Dinkes urges the public to prevent illness by maintaining the body's immunity with a healthy lifestyle, such as eating enough, sleeping, exercising, and not stressing. Aside that, prevent complications and death with complete vaccination and early detection and routine control of comorbidities with drugs.

She added the availability of the Pfizer vaccine had run out, Indovac and Zifivax brands were available in large quantities in Jakarta for vaccination doses 1, 2, 3, 4 aged 18 years and over. However, for pregnant women, it should be postponed because there is not yet sufficiently strong data on safety results.

"Vaccinations are available at 44 sub-district health centers, urban village health centers in Jakarta, and other vaccine locations that work closely with health centers," she stated.