VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) cautioned that several countries that were able to flatten the curve of their confirmed COVID-19 cases are currently challenged by imported cases that had overseas travel records.

China, South Korea, and Singapore are among the countries currently facing what he terms as a novel wave of the new coronavirus disease-related threats, President Jokowi stated during a videoconference meeting held at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

In connection with this problem, the government has reiterated the significance of handling the mobility of Indonesians and foreigners arriving in the country, he remarked during the virtual meeting held to discuss ways to handle Indonesians and foreign nationals arriving from overseas trips.

"Our priority is, now, not just handling the mobility of our people in Indonesia but also tackling the COVID-19 risks posed by those arriving from overseas trips," he noted, adding that COVID-19 cases were found in 202 countries and territories.

Over this past week, the COVID-19 epicenters had also moved, from mainland China to the United States and several European countries.

Hence, the head of state reiterated the significance of strengthening policies on handling the inflows of foreign nationals and Indonesians arriving from overseas travel.

As of Monday (March 30), Indonesia had 1,414 confirmed cases of which 75 were discharged from hospitals, while 122 others died of this deadly virus.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases were found in 30 provinces comprising 698 in Jakarta, 180 in West Java, 128 in Banten, 91 in East Java, 81 in Central Java, 50 in South Sulawesi, 18 in Yogyakarta, 17 in East Kalimantan, 19 in Bali, 13 in North Sumatra, nine in Papua, seven in Central Kalimantan, three in Riau Islands, and eight each in West Sumatra and Lampung.

The coronavirus outbreak that initially struck in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019 infected at least 785,777 people worldwide, while death toll from this virus was recorded at no less than 37,815 as of Tuesday.

According to the Worldometers' website, 165,607 people were reported to have recovered from COVID-19. Related news: Jokowi urges regional heads to tighten entry of Jabodetabek travelers