"According to today's update, the number of confirmed cases has reached 96 after yesterday, we had 69 cases. There are 27 new cases," Achmad Yurianto, a spokesman for coronavirus handling, stated here on Saturday.
The new cases came to light after the government conducted massive contact tracing, he revealed.
So far, five coronavirus patients have died, of which four -- case 25, 35, 36, and case 50 -- were linked to the initial 69 cases.
According to Yurianto, the virus infection has spread in Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, Tangerang in Banten, Solo in Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, Manado in North Sulawesi, and Pontianak in West Kalimantan.
"We are still tracing (the virus) in other regions," he added.
President Joko Widodo had earlier tasked Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo to lead the task force for coronavirus handling to block the further spread of the virus.
The task force was established in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 7 of 2020, with five objectives: to improve national resilience in the health sector, expedite coronavirus handling through synergy among ministries and local governments, take precautionary measures against escalated transmission of COVID-19, boost synergy of policy makers in operations, and step up preparedness and capability to prevent, detect, and respond to COVID-19.
Earlier on in the day, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan stated that the city will shut down all schools and ordered remote teaching for at least two weeks, starting next week to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The governor had also decided to close museums, parks, and zoos for two weeks starting Friday.
The city of Solo in Central Java has also announced school closures. Related news: Several of World Dream's 188 quarantined crew members fly home
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Translator: Martha Herlinawati S, Sri Hary
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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