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Indonesian COVID-19 cases top 1,000
Health authorities have confirmed 1,046 infections as of Friday, including 87 deaths and 46 recoveries.
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Government spokesman for handling COVID-19, Achmad Yurianto, gives a press statement at the Presidential Office in Jakarta, on March 13, 2020. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
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ndonesian health authorities have confirmed 1,046 COVID-19 positive cases as of Friday, an increase of 153 from the previous count a day earlier.
The number of fatalities caused by the disease has also risen by nine cases to 87. Meanwhile, the number of people having recovered from COVID-19 has also increased to 46.
“There was a significant addition of cases with 153 new cases. This illustrates that there are still transmissions of this disease within the community due to close contact with sources of the disease,” said Achmad Yurianto, the government’s spokesperson for COVID-19-related matters, during a press briefing on Friday.
Jakarta still has the majority of cases with 598 positives – an increase of 83. Other provinces with a significant number of cases include West Java with 98 cases, Banten (84), East Java (66) and Central Java (43).
South Sulawesi is now the hardest-hit region outside Java island with 29 positive cases.
While experts had called on the government to impose a lockdown on regions with a high infection rate to reduce the spread, Yurianto said, citizens should increase their awareness and comply with the government's appeal to stay at home and maintain physical distance in social interactions.
“I am optimistic and really believe [we can overcome the virus] because we actually work together, which is our basic modality as a nation,” Yurianto said.
The government is also continuing its efforts to trace people that have come into close contact with people who have contracted the disease, as well as launching rapid testing. (mfp)
