Indonesia announces emergency measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak
Bangkok, Jul 1 (EFE).- Indonesia’s president on Thursday announced a series of emergency measures, to be in effect between July 3 and 21, to contain a Covid-19 outbreak linked to the Delta variant in the country.
“The government will mobilize all available resources to contain the spread of Covid-19,” Joko Widodo said in a video message, in which he also announced more beds in hospitals and quarantine centers for the infected, as well as the availability of oxygen tanks.
The measures are mainly focused on the islands of Java, where more than 50 percent of the country’s 270 million inhabitants live, and Bali, a popular tourist destination.
Although the order does not force people to stay at home at all times, it orders a temporary closure of schools, religious centers, parks, museums, sports stadiums, malls, bars and restaurants, among other places.
However, weddings with up to 30 people and with no food served at the venue will be allowed.
It also decrees that personnel not engaged in essential services continue working from home, while employees of sectors including finance, food, construction, energy and telecommunications can go to offices under strict health protocols.
People who want to travel long distances must present a vaccination certificate indicating at least one dose of vaccination and a negative Covid-19 test result.
With hospitals in the country overflowing, daily infections have exceeded 20,000 for a week while the number of deaths stands at around 500 per day.
The Red Cross warned on Tuesday of the risk of the collapse of hospitals in Indonesia, where, according to official data, 47 percent of hospital beds are occupied, a figure that has climbed to 93 percent in the capital Jakarta.
The international body added that the outbreak is linked to the Delta variant, which experts say is more infectious.
Indonesia has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases in the region, 2.17 million, as well as the most deaths, over 58,000, and has fully vaccinated 4.9 percent of its population. EFE
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