Indonesia approves large-scale social restrictions for Jakarta: media


By Reuters

Indonesia’s health ministry has approved a request by the government of Jakarta to impose large-scale social restrictions in the city to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, media on Tuesday cited a ministry official as saying.

A Red Cross personnel wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant along a corridor in a densely populated neighbourhood area, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 4, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan A Red Cross personnel wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant along a corridor in a densely populated neighbourhood area, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 4, 2020. (REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/MANILA BULLETIN)

A health ministry spokeswoman, however, subsequently told Reuters that Jakarta’s request has yet to be approved.

Several news outlet, including news website Detik.com, quoted Busroni, who heads the media and public opinion department at the health ministry, as saying the Jakarta government can decide on the restrictions it wants to impose after approval.