Police Chief Explains Cause of Covid-19 Surge
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16 June 2021 19:14 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo on Wednesday said that one of the causes behind the surge in Covid-19 cases was the mass exodus at the end of March and early May as people celebrated Eid.
He revealed that there were 1.4 million people migrating to their hometown from major cities through land, air, and sea transport that helped spread the virus into a broader area. Local traditions following the Eid celebration also contributed to the surge of Covid case as large groups of people conducted ‘halalbihalal’ or visits to relatives.
“Take a look at Kudus in Central Java, it started with six villages and spread to 45 villages,” said the national police chief before the House legislators on June 16.
However, latest reports suggest that the current number is higher. Sixty-five villages officially were declared as the epicenters of Covid-19 with 181 people testing positive.
The Covid-19 national task force recorded a rise in cases across 15 regencies and cities in the past week. The highest number is in Grobogan, Central Java with a 2,803 percent increase. The second and third areas recording the highest case are Bankalan and Demak.
Read: Covid-19 Case Surge; Jakarta Hospitals Occupancy Nearing Limit
HUSSEIN ABRI
