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Tegal blocks roads into city in first attempt to impose lockdown in Indonesia
The first COVID-19 case in Tegal is a 34-year-old man who recently traveled to Abu Dhabi, and then Jakarta, before returning home by train.
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An aerial view of a city square in Tegal, West Java, on March 22, 2020. The administration has closed road access into the city in an attempt to impose a lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Antara/Oky Lukmansyah)
T
he Tegal administration in Central Java has decided to lock the city down to protect its residents from the coronavirus outbreak, which has reached 27 of the country's 34 provinces. The measure will be implemented for four months from March 30 to July 31.
Tegal Mayor Dedy Yon Supriyono announced on Tuesday evening that the city was in "a state of emergency" following the confirmation of one COVID-19 case.
"We need serious efforts [to stop virus transmission]," Dedy said, adding that he would limit access to the city by closing down borders.
"We plan for a full lockdown. All borders will be closed for the safety of all."
Read also: No lockdown for Indonesia, Jokowi insists
The first COVID-19 case in Tegal is a 34-year-old man who recently traveled to Abu Dhabi, and then Jakarta, before returning home by train.
He was first admitted to Kardinah Hospital in the city on March 16, just after arriving from Jakarta. Among his symptoms were fever, cough, diarrhea and shortness of breath. His test results came back positive on March 24.
Dedy said he had contacted state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia to get information about passengers who were in the same car as the patient. They all should be quarantined and tested, he added.
Indonesia had recorded 893 positive COVID-19 cases as of Thursday afternoon, 78 of whom have died. (vny)
