Roughly nine months after the first COVID-19 cases were detected in Indonesia, health workers and authorities are still struggling to contain the outbreak. Instead of detecting fewer cases in the ninth month, health authorities recorded another record in daily COVID-19 cases with more than 8,000 new infections detected on Dec. 3. More state officials, including Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
The fight goes on. Apart from medical personnel, Papuan students continue to voice their protest over the government’s plan on Papuan special autonomy as they demand self-determination.
In the era of physical distancing, authorities look to connect more regions around the capital city by continuing construction on the light rapid transit (LRT) railway network. The Jakarta administration recently announced a change of an LRT route.