We call on all residents of Jakarta and the adjoining areas to stay at home on Saturday and Sunday, except if they have urgent needs.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan again made an earnest request to those residing in Jakarta to not venture out of their homes on the weekend in the wake of a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"We call on all residents of Jakarta and the adjoining areas to stay at home on Saturday and Sunday, except if they have urgent needs," Baswedan remarked following a meeting with Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Inspector General Fadli Imran and Commander of the Jakarta Military Command Major General Mulyo Aji here on Friday.

The governor called on the people to get a grip of the current situation in Jakarta wherein COVID-19 cases had soared considerably in the past few days.

The public, on its part, should cut down outdoor activities that may put them at risk of contracting the lethal virus.

"Reduce outdoor activities. Decrease activities that will potentially cause interactions that may make (you) exposed (to the virus). In essence, we must follow health protocols, including wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and washing hands," he remarked.

Baswedan emphasized that activities should be conducted indoors not only on the weekend but also on holidays in future.

The governor had earlier attributed the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the capital to the Eid holidays that led to a new wave of coronavirus infections.

To tackle the COVID-19 case surge, President Joko Widodo, on Tuesday, summoned the Jakarta Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) and issued directives on ways to deal with a recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

The forum comprised Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, chief of the Jakarta Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD), Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, Commander of the Jakarta Regional Military Command, Major General Mulyo Aji, chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Inspector General Fadil Imran, and mayors and resort police chiefs from across Jakarta.

The president called on the Jakarta administration to expedite COVID-19 vaccinations amid a surge in cases.

He drew attention to the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in Jakarta, with the entry of a new variant from India being one of the reasons.

A 50-percent increase in infections was recorded in the capital city, with the number of cases soaring to 17,400 on June 11, 2021, from 11,500 on June 6, 2021, according to Baswedan.

The COVID-19 positivity rate also rose to 17 percent on Sunday, from nine percent a week earlier.


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