COVID-19: Indonesia, Bali to reopen borders in July, but is it safe?

Indonesia - home to 270 million people -  has recorded 1.83 million positive COVID-19 cases.
Indonesia - home to 270 million people - has recorded 1.83 million positive COVID-19 cases. Photo credit: Getty Images

Indonesia has announced its plans to welcome international visitors next month, including popular holiday hotspot Bali.

A statement from the country's Tourism Minister says the plan would go ahead "if the pandemic is handled as well as expected".

"In preparation, the government has carried out a widespread vaccination program for targeted groups, including the tourism workforce," the statement writes.

"In addition, the government has also initiated the Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) certification program throughout the tourism sector in Indonesia."

Indonesia - home to 270 million people -  has recorded 1.83 million positive cases and 50,000 deaths.

But case numbers are actually on the rise.

Indonesia reported 2385 COVID-19 cases on May 15. Two weeks later, that figure doubled to more than 6565.

The Conversation published an article this week saying Indoneisa "may be on the cusp of a major COVID spike" and questioning how reliable its testing is. 

"The country will not fare well if predictions of an even bigger outbreak fuelled by new variants of the virus come true," it says.

"If this happens, the government may well find itself facing a looming health catastrophe, rising social unrest and perhaps serious political tensions, too."