Posted.
April 20, 2020 15: 38:52
The coronavirus pandemic could not have struck Indonesia at an even worse season.
The rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout the archipelago comes as the majority Muslim country gets ready for the fasting month of Ramadan– starting next week– and the annual exodus of millions of individuals from Jakarta and significant cities for their home towns.
In 2015, almost 20 million people left greater Jakarta for the week-long Lebaran vacation that accompanies Idul Fitri, when Muslims banquet and celebrate completion of Ramadan.
With the majority of businesses and stores now closed in Jakarta– the epicentre of the outbreak– about 1 million individuals have actually already left the capital.
It has sustained fears they will take the virus with them to other parts of the nation and trigger an explosion of COVID-19 cases.
Government decentralisation complicates efforts to include the coronavirus
President Joko Widodo has actually resisted calls for a nationwide restriction on ‘mudik’– the name for the annual homecoming– for fear it will damage people’s incomes and the larger economy.
Just recently had his Government– under pressure to do something– granted powers to provincial leaders to impose their own restrictions on social movement.
The governments of Jakarta, West Java and neighbouring Banten province have in recent days purchased the closure of services, work environments, holy places, and entertainment venues.
Only necessary services such as grocery stores