JAYAPURA - Task Force of COVID-19 in Papua Province encourages tightening supervision at the entrance of Jayapura Seaport, to minimize the surge in cases of coronavirus transmission that has increased sharply in recent days.

Related to the case of COVID variant Omicron itself, it has reached 75 cases found in Papua.

Chairman of the Papua COVID-19 Task Force Welliam R Manderi said the tightening of supervision at Jayapura Seaport by reason. COVID-19 cases in Papua are currently most commonly found to come from travelers.

"The most increased cases of these from long-distance travelers are by ship," Manderi told reporters in Jayapura, Thursday (2/17/2022) evening.

Therefore, Manderi admitted that in the near future the Papua Provincial Government will issue a circular again to address the surge in cases from ship travelers.

"There will be restrictions in the Circular Letter, maybe the number of incoming ships will be limited or citizens coming from outside Papua plus the requirements, such as having to be a complete dose or include the results of PCR test," he said.

Meanwhile, Manderi said based on the latest Home Affairs Instruction, there are 11 regions in Papua that enter level 3 Community Activity Restrictions, 17 areas enter level 2 Community Activity Restrictions and only one area, namely Mappi Regency which entered level 1 Community Activity Restrictions.

"We will translate in accordance with the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs, so we will follow up for some areas that are at level 3 and level 2," Manderi explained.

He also ensured that the Papua Provincial Government will immediately take steps to deal with the surge in COVID-19 cases in the Papua region, especially in Jayapura City and Mimika Regency where the spike in cases is high. ***