FILE IMAGE – Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo takes a look at the emergency healthcare facility handling of COVID-19 in Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of coronavirus illness (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020 in this image taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/ through REUTERS
JAKARTA (Reuters) – President Joko Widodo said the coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia is expected to peak in August or September, the state news agency Antara reported on Monday, 2 to 3 months later than earlier forecasted.
” Based on information the peak is (now) estimated to be in August or September, that’s the most recent estimate I received, but if we do not do something the numbers might be various,” Widodo stated as cited by Antara.
A government consultant had actually said in April that COVID-19 cases were likely to peak in Might or June, with the number of infections expected to reach around 95,000
Widodo stated he was pressing his ministers to work more difficult to manage the spread of the infection, which had contaminated 76,981 individuals in the Southeast Asian nation since Monday, with 3,656 deaths, the greatest in East Asia outside China.
A substantial brand-new cluster of infections emerged recently at a basic training centre in West Java, where 1,262 cadets and trainers have actually tested favorable for the illness.
Last month Widodo said he was prepared to reshuffle ministers and even disband government companies that he feels have actually not done enough to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
On the other hand, the federal government is considering sanctions for people who are breaching health procedures such as not using masks in public places.
Reporting by Maikel Jefriando; Writing by Fransiska Nangoy; Modifying by Mark Heinrich
Reuters.
