Health workers collect samples for COVID-19 testing in West Java province of Indonesia on April 4 (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) Jakarta (VNA) – The Indonesian Government has decided to extend the area of the large-scale social restrictions to West Java, the most populous province in the country, as the number of COVID-19 cases there spikes.
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said the large-scale restrictions will start on April 15 and be applied on the provincial towns of Bekasi, Depok and Bogor that share borders with the country's Jakarta capital.
The provincial administration has also been preparing the provincial capital of Bandung for applying the large-scale social restrictions, he noted, adding that social assistance in the forms of cashes and logistics would be delivered to the people affected by the policy.
The Indonesian Government's spokesman for the COVID-19-related matters Achmad Yurianto confirmed that the central government has given an approval to West Java province on its request to apply the restrictions.
Banten, another Indonesian province that borders Jakarta, has also requested for applying the large-scale social restrictions.
Indonesia on April 12 reported the biggest daily hike of COVID-19 cases, 399, bringing the total to 4,241 with 373 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded 220 new cases of COVID-19 and 50 deaths, the highest number of fatalities in a single day, raising the respective figures to 4,648 and 297. A total of 197 patients have recovered with 40 announced on April 12.
In Malaysia, this country confirmed 153 new cases and three deaths on the day, bringing total infections to 4,683 – the highest in Southeast Asia, including 76 deaths. Its Health Ministry said 45 percent of all cases have recovered.
New COVID-19 cases in Thailand dropped to a double-digit number for the fourth straight day on April 12. The infected patients there totalled 2,551 with 38 deaths./.
VNA
