Bali Tourists Urged To Be Proactive In Mitigating Spread Of Covid-19

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Cases of Covid-19 are on the rise in Bali.

While the caseload remains relatively low, one person has died while testing positive, and now officials are urging the community to be proactive in their approach to mitigating the spread of the virus. 

In total, 60 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed by health officials in Bali, with the figure likely higher due to asymptomatic cases within the wider community.

Officials from the Bali Province Health Service have issued warnings to the public not to worry but to take the rising cases seriously. 

Dr Anom from the Bali Province Health Service has told reporters, “What is clear is the appeal to the public to complete the Covid-19 vaccination to increase their immunity.”

He has told the public, tourists included, to keep up with health protocols such as wearing a mask if feeling ill and regular handwashing. 

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Dr Anom added, “People should not panic because the severity of the Covid variant is currently very low.”

At a national level in Indonesia, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has reactivated risk mitigation efforts in the tourism sector in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases.

Speaking from Ubud in Bali the Deputy for Tourism Products and Activity Organizers at the Ministry of Tourism, Vinsensius Jemadu, said that the public must be vigilant moving forward. 

Jemadu said “This does not make people worry but they remain alert so that later they can mitigate risks. It’s not new because this is part of the omicron COVID-19 variant.” 

“So some experts say it the current COVID cases are not that serious but we have to be careful.”

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Given the huge amount of community mobilization during the Christmas 2023 and New Year 2024 holidays, officials are acutely aware that this could potentially lead to a spike in COVID-19 across Bali and the wider archipelago. 

It has been confirmed that Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport will see over one million passengers over the festive season.

The peak day of airport traffic is predicted to fall on the 22nd of December with over 70,000 passengers set to travel through the international terminal. 

Following recent outbreaks of other infectious diseases and viruses, officials at Bali Airport are already monitoring arrivals for potential health risks.

Thermal imaging cameras are in use throughout the arrivals, domestic and international terminals. 

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Officials in Bali are already monitoring arrivals for monkeypox following a recent outbreak in Jakarta.

Following an outbreak of Nipah virus in India over the last few months officials are also checking for raised temperatures in arrival passengers that could indicate illness afoot. 

Updates from China in the last few weeks show a sharp rise in the number of childhood pneumonia cases, with footage circulating online of some hospitals overflowing with young patients needing medical support.

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism said that they are closely monitoring the situation and will continue with existing monitoring efforts. They noted that there was not yet a need to implement travel restrictions against any travelers from countries where virus outbreaks have occurred. 

Officials in Bali are taking a proactive approach to mitigating the current outbreak of Covid-19 on the island.

Along with public health measures the Head of the Buleleng Health Service, Dr. Sucipto confirmed that medical centers, hospitals, and clinics in the area are closely monitoring all suspected cases and doubling down on vaccine drives. 

Dr Sucpito told reporters, “We hope that the public will be as alert as possible to use masks, especially for those who suffer from coughs and colds when outside the home or in certain places so as not to infect others.” 

He added, “The new form is an appeal to all hospitals, community health centers, and clinics to take anticipatory steps, including community health centers, hospitals and clinics to carry out surveillance and report if they find these cases through the weekly reporting mechanism (SKDR).”