Spraying disinfectants in Jakarta (Photo: AFP) Hanoi (VNA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on March 20 that he would use "all state power" to tackle health and economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to the media, Widodo said authorities launched rapid testing for COVID-19 in areas where there have been infection cases the same day.
Policy makers have also been trying to shore up the economy as the rupiah currency falls to the lowest level since the Asia financial crisis in 1998, he said.
Also on March 20, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati raised the country's crisis management protocol level to "standby" from "alert" and warned that if the outbreak persisted, the country’s economic growth could fall to between 0-2.5 percent.
Indonesia has so far recorded 369 infection cases, including 32 deaths.
The same day, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Rohingya community leaders in Malaysia are stepping up efforts to get refugees who attended a Muslim gathering to come forward for COVID-19 tests.
As of March 20 afternoon, Malaysia reported1,030 infection cases, the highest in Southeast Asia. Of which 130 new cases were announced on March 20, including 48 people who had attended the Muslim gathering.
Earlier on March 16, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyddin Yassin announced the country lock-down from March 18-31 in order to contain the spread of the epidemic./.
Speaking to the media, Widodo said authorities launched rapid testing for COVID-19 in areas where there have been infection cases the same day.
Policy makers have also been trying to shore up the economy as the rupiah currency falls to the lowest level since the Asia financial crisis in 1998, he said.
Also on March 20, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati raised the country's crisis management protocol level to "standby" from "alert" and warned that if the outbreak persisted, the country’s economic growth could fall to between 0-2.5 percent.
Indonesia has so far recorded 369 infection cases, including 32 deaths.
The same day, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Rohingya community leaders in Malaysia are stepping up efforts to get refugees who attended a Muslim gathering to come forward for COVID-19 tests.
As of March 20 afternoon, Malaysia reported1,030 infection cases, the highest in Southeast Asia. Of which 130 new cases were announced on March 20, including 48 people who had attended the Muslim gathering.
Earlier on March 16, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyddin Yassin announced the country lock-down from March 18-31 in order to contain the spread of the epidemic./.
VNA
