But elsewhere in Indonesia, a Christian gathering went ahead with more than 1,000 people despite official discouragement of big religious meetings. More than 8,500 people from across Indonesia, Asia and the Middle East had converged on the area. The proselytising Tablighi Jama'at movement behind the gathering in Indonesia hosted an event in Malaysia from Feb. 27 to March 1 that drew 16,000 followers and led to more than 500 coronavirus infections. The attendees came from all parts of Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of more than 250 million people. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Thursday the country will ramp up testing and urged religious leaders to re-evaluate plans for large gatherings.

Source: bd News24 March 19, 2020 10:07 UTC