Kudus Sets Up Roadblocks, Closes Tourist Sites due to COVID-19 Surge

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Kudus Regency Government decided to temporarily close the entry access and tourist destinations in the region. The closure was enforced in an attempt to prevent the entry of people from outside the regency following a surge in COVID-19 cases.

One of the entry access that was blocked is in Tanggulangin, which is the main gate for vehicles from outside, especially those from Semarang. The local administration only used water barriers and left access for two-wheeled vehicles.

“We need to take concrete steps, one of them is by closing access to Kudus and blocking people from outside temporarily,” said Kudus Regent Hartopo on Wednesday, May 26.

According to Hartopo, the access closure applies to tour buses and private cars. His side also conducted a random antigen rapid test for locals and temporarily closed all tourist attractions in the area.

“If there is a decline [in cases], the people's economic activities will surely return to normal, including tourist objects in Kudus,” he added.

However, Hartopo stopped short of detailing until when the closure would last, saying that it depended on the situation.

As of Thursday, May 27, Kudus recorded 783 active COVID-19 cases with 261 patients undergoing treatment and the rest 552 undergoing self-isolation. The region’s total caseload amounted to 6,893 people. Of which, 5,524 patients have recovered and 586 patients died.

Read: Indonesia's COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise; 5,862 New Infections Found Today

ANTARA