Coronavirus could stop millions of Indonesians returning to home villages after Ramadan

A state of emergency put in place in Indonesia's capital Jakarta has been extended for two weeks.

A number of major roads on bus routes in Jakarta are sprayed

A number of major roads on bus routes in Jakarta are sprayed with disinfectant liquid using fire trucks Source: Getty Images

Indonesia's capital Jakarta has announced a two-week extension of its state of emergency following a surge in coronavirus cases across the country, its governor says.

Anies Baswedan told reporters on a video conference call that the state of emergency, imposed on March 20 to try to slow the spread of the virus in Indonesia's biggest city, would be extended until April 19.

"We're preparing ways to anticipate all possibilities that could happen in the city," Baswedan said.
Indonesia people reacts as she is sprayed with disinfectant inside a makeshift sterilisation chamber
Indonesia people reacts as she is sprayed with disinfectant inside a makeshift steriliation chamber during the coronavirus outbreak in Jakarta Source: Getty Images
"We implore people of Jakarta to not leave Jakarta, especially for their home towns."

Indonesia's chief security minister Mahfud MD said on Friday that the government was considering a plan to ban "mudik" - the tradition in which millions of Indonesians leave towns and cities for their native villages at the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in May.

Indonesia confirmed 109 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, taking the total cases in the country to 1155, a health ministry official said.

Achmad Yurianto, the ministry official, confirmed 15 additional deaths, bringing the total to 102.
According to government data, a total of 627 cases have been recorded in Jakarta and 62 people have died.

The airline AirAsia Indonesia said in a statement posted on its website on Saturday that it would suspend flights starting on April 1.

Domestic flights are due to resume on April 21 and international flights to restart on May 17.

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If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor (don’t visit) or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

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Published 29 March 2020 1:12pm
Updated 29 March 2020 2:01pm



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