JAKARTA: Indonesia’s transport minister is in intensive care after testing positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), an official said Saturday, as schools and tourist attractions were ordered to close over the health threat. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi was receiving treatment at an army hospital in Jakarta, according to State Secretary Pratikno. He emphasized that Jakarta would not be locked down but urged people “to be responsible” and called for social distancing when possible. Similarly, the administration of Solo, Central Java, Friday announced that schools and tourist attractions would close after a coronavirus patient died in the region. A day after declaring the coronavirus outbreak to be pandemic this week, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Indonesia’s president Widodo and both agreed to “scale up cooperation.”AFP

Source: Manila Times March 15, 2020 17:48 UTC