VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was able to walk in hospital on Friday (Apr 10) about 24 hours after leaving intensive care treatment for COVID-19, as Britain recorded nearly 1,000 daily deaths from the virus for the first time.

"The Prime Minister has been able to do short walks, between periods of rest, as part of the care he is receiving to aid his recovery," a Downing Street spokesman said.

Johnson left intensive care at London's St Thomas' Hospital on Thursday evening, three days after being admitted due to his then-worsening condition.

News of the 55-year-old's improvement contrasted with the sobering release of the latest official statistics, showing Britain's COVID-19 death toll grew by 980 in the latest 24-hour period, its highest yet.

It brings the total number of fatalities from coronavirus in UK hospitals to nearly 9,000, while the number of confirmed cases in the country climbed close to 74,000//CNA

Asian markets were mostly higher on Friday after the latest US coronavirus stimulus measures boosted Wall Street overnight. As quoted by AFP.com Friday March 10, in its latest attempt to ease the economic pain inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Federal Reserve said it would pump $2.3 trillion through new lending programmes.

The strong close on Wall Street boosted Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225, which finished 0.8 percent higher. Mutsumi Kagawa, chief global strategist at Rakuten Securities stated the market remains in a "tug-of-war between those who are pessimistic about the pandemic and those who are optimistic, they don't want to miss a rare chance to buy" shares at low prices//AFP

In the past several weeks, the government has expanded several social assistance programs for low-income citizens across the country affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. As stated by Jakartapost.com  President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said  that the government had made it a top priority to ensure citizens’ basic needs were met. The President also expressed confidence the government could maintain the purchasing power of low-income people during the crisis.

From cash transfers for Jakarta residents to financial aid for bus drivers, these are the programs the government has launched to help low-income citizens during the outbreak. The President said he hoped the social aid would help dissuade people from participating in the annual Idul Fitri mudik (exodus), which is feared will increase the spread of the disease//JP

The Saudi government has sent home Indonesian umroh pilgrims and citizens found guilty of violating immigration rules, according to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry. They are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia April 9). The Saudi government has readied aircraft to send home our umroh pilgrims, including those overstaying since September 1 last year, Director of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities Protection of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry Judha Nugraha noted, during a press conference held via videoconference on Thursday as quoted by Antara. Medical tests will be conducted on the Indonesian nationals upon arrival in Indonesia despite having undergone similar tests in Saudi Arabia, he revealed. Meanwhile  as many as 17 Indonesian members of the jamaah tabligh in India are still receiving medical treatment at a local hospital for coronavirus infection, while 10 others have recovered from the disease. 

Nugraha said more than 984 Indonesian members of the jamaah tabligh are currently staying in nine countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Nepal. Indonesian foreign mininstry have difficulties in registering the members of the jamaah tabligh since they did not report to the missions. So the mininstry have made every effort to contact them and coordinated with their head office in Jakarta to register them. The Indonesian government on March 17, 2020 called on all Indonesians abroad to return home or face the risk of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic//Ant