Banjarbaru's active COVID-19 cases drop by 70%: mayor

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Banjarbaru Mayor H M Aditya Mufti Ariffin said that active COVID-19 cases in the city have significantly dropped by 70 percent.

"We are grateful that active cases of COVID-19 have significantly plummeted from previously 1,600 cases to 460," he said when receiving South Kalimantan Deputy Governor Muhidin who visited the General Hospital of Idaman Banjarbaru, Sunday.

He really hopes that this decline in cases will have an impact to lowering the status of Banjarbaru which is currently at level 4 in the handling of COVID-19. For the last three weeks, the public activity restriction (PPKM) has been implemented strictly.

At the same time, the active roll of all parties is supported by the community, who are aware of the steps to prevent the infection of COVID-19, namely 3M drive, which is expected to continue to be applied so that the number of cases keeps declining.

"Our hope is that in the evaluation later, Banjarbaru's status will drop from level 4, so that the public activities can be more relaxed. We also call the public to be disciplined in applying health protocols to make the cases go down," he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor came to Idaman Hospital to observe the handling of COVID-19 patients as well as to see the facilities and infrastructure of the city government-owned hospital.
The newly inaugurated Deputy Governor was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of South Kalimantan Police Brig. Gen. Mohamad Agung Budijono, the Provincial Secretary Roy Rizali Anwar, and a number of South Kalimantan Provincial Government officials.

They were welcomed by Mayor H M Aditya Mufti Ariffin, Banjarbaru Police Chief AKBP Nur Khamid, and Director of Idaman Hospital Endah Labati Silapurna.

He said the provincial government is ready to provide aid, especially to people who are undergoing self-isolation at home.

"The provincial government is ready to provide aid to residents who are now in self-isolation in the form of ready-to-eat food twice a day, as well as vitamins, medicines, and fruit," said the former Mayor of Banjarmasin.

Banjarbaru Mayor said the latest data is that 200 residents are now still undergoing self-isolation at home. They received fast food assistance provided by the city government.

"Banjarbaru government through the Peduli Sesama Movement has distributed assistance in the form of ready to eat food since July 27, 2021, until now. If there is additional assistance from the provincial government we are very grateful," he said.