In October, Indonesia may reopen to tourists from a few countries

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Following a substantial drop in COVID-19 cases, Indonesia may allow foreign tourists to return to the popular resort island of Bali and other parts of the country by October, according to senior minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Following a disastrous second virus outbreak caused by the Delta variety, the Southeast Asian nation plans to slowly reopen its borders.

 

Since a peak in mid-July, the number of verified cases of COVID-19 has declined by 94.5 percent, according to Luhut, the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister.

 

"Today, we are relieved that the reproduction rate is less than one...

It's the lowest it's been during the pandemic, showing that it's under control "At a press conference, Luhut stated.

Other encouraging signals included the national hospital bed occupancy rate dropping below 15% and the positivity rate, or the percentage of patients who test positive, decreasing below 5%, he said.

If the current trend continues, Luhut said, "we are extremely certain" that Bali would reopen by October.

 

Given the limited virus transmission in those countries, the administration is considering accepting foreign people from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and New Zealand first, he said.

Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Indonesia's health minister, told Reuters earlier this week that reopening to foreigners would require 70 percent of the target population to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine.

According to health ministry figures, more than 21% of the targeted 208 million have been fully vaccinated, with nearly 40% having received their first injection.