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Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday called for applying a social distancing measure to prevent further spread of COVID-19 as the Health Ministry reported the number of the COVID-19 cases rose to 134 in the country. President Jokowi, the nick name of the president, disclosed that the government would not impose a lockdown in the country so far, but stress the importance of reducing frequency of people's movements and gatherings, as well as keeping distance among them.
"We will persistently keep the campaigns on studying at home, working at home and performing religious duties at home to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, some measures including those to provide public services, meet basic needs and give health care will continue," he said at the Presidential Palace in Bogor town near the capital city of Jakarta.
The head of state has said that he and cabinet ministers have undergone tests for coronavirus infection, following the confirmation that Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi tested positive for the virus.
Separately, the government's spokesman for the COVID-19-related matters Achmad Yurianto said that 17 new cases have been detected, saying that the number of new cases is likely to increase as contact tracings of infected persons have been intensified.
The spokesman further said that three other patients have recovered from the disease, putting the total at eight. The virus has so far killed five people in Indonesia, according to him.
Responding to possible lockdown policy, the spokesman pointed out that it will not be applied, saying that the focus is how to find the source of the virus and conduct isolation.
Some cities in the country have applied an emergency status to pave the way for tackling the virus spread.
