photo : msn.com

Indonesia will follow the World Health Organization’s lead, in suspending the use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment, as part of the global Solidarity Trials, according to the COVID-19 task force. Team leader of the Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling, Wiku Adisasmito, said during a press conference on Thursday in Jakarta as quoted by Antara. Wiku confirmed the WHO has temporarily halted Solidarity Trials of hydroxychloroquine, and said it will provide the results of its final assessment regarding the use of the malaria drug for COVID-19 treatment in two weeks. More than 30 countries are participating in the Solidarity Trial, a WHO initiative for joint research and clinical testing to develop drugs and therapies for COVID-19 treatment. The Solidarity Trial will compare standard treatment against treatment using four types of drugs, namely remdesivir, liponavir / ritonavir, liponavir / ritonavir combined with beta-1 interferon, and chloroquine//ANT

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) spoke of having prepared a stimulus of Rp34 trillion, to relax payments of instalment and to subsidize credit interest for farmers and fishermen. This incentive was being offered to reduce production costs for farmers and fishermen during the COVID-19 pandemic. President Jokowi stated while opening a limited cabinet meeting on incentives for farmers and fishermen, for maintaining the availability of staple foods, held at the Merdeka Palace here on Thursday as quoted by Antara. Fiscal incentives from the government will be channelled through the People's Business Credit Program, Fostering Prosperous Family Economy Program (PNM Mekaar), Pawnshops of Ultra Micro Credit, and also programs in other finance companies.President said he hope that the agriculture and fisheries businesses would become better through the availability of seeds and fertilizer production equipment//ANT

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Wishnutama Kusubandio, has stated that his office is preparing new operational procedures for the tourism sector for implementing the new normal, which will be simulated before it is enforced.

After a limited meeting, led by President Joko Widodo on ensuring productivity and safety in the tourism sector under the new normal, in Jakarta on Thursday, the minister said his office is currently preparing stages of opening the tourism sector ahead of the implementation of the new normal.

"The stages would have to be passed by tourism destinations, given that (efforts to check the spread of) COVID-19 have become better with various parameters prepared, until these stages are carried out," he informed.

He added that the standard operational procedures in the tourism sector would be prepared for a number of facilities, for example, hotels, restaurants, and tourist destinations, including various supporting facilities.

Before their implementation, he continued, a simulation of the procedures will be carried out. "After the simulation, we will disseminate information on the procedures, and then we will enter a trial period," he continued.

At the initial stage, however, he plans to prioritize regions or tourist destinations that are truly ready.

"Of course, we will prioritize regions that are ready because regional readiness is important and (we) have coordinated with regional heads who have been ready for this stage," he said.

President Joko Widodo has specifically requested that a new standard for Indonesian tourism be prepared, as the future global tourism trend looks set to change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President has also directed that the Indonesian tourism sector first focus on attracting domestic tourists, along with the implementation of strict health protocols. (ANTARA)

Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital for COVID-19 treatment in Kemayoran, Jakarta. ANTARA PHOTO/Aditya Pradana Putra/aww/aa.

The Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital for COVID-19 treatment in Kemayoran, Jakarta, recorded a total of 1,936 recoveries from March 23 to May 25, 2020.

The hospital registered 3,965 inpatients during the period, of which 1,936 were discharged," Brigadier General Suhardi, the hospital’s spokesman, stated in Jakarta on Monday.

The recoveries on Monday rose by 61, from 1,875 on Sunday, May 24.

The hospital also recorded that 118 patients were referred to other hospitals, while three had succumbed to the disease.

On Monday, the Wisma Atlet Hospital had treated 909 inpatients testing positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

"The number of inpatients at the Wisma Atlet Hospital totals 933 people, comprising 611 men and 322 women," he stated.

Of the total 933 inpatients, 909 people had tested positive, 17 were under surveillance (PDP), and seven were under monitoring (ODP).

In the meantime, the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital on Galang Island, Batam, Riau Islands Province, had treated 51 patients, constituting 24 COVID-19 positive patients and 27 PDPs.

Since April 12, the Galang Island Hospital has registered a total of 114 patients, of which 63 patients had recovered and were discharged from the hospital or were required to undergo independent isolation. No COVID-19 patients died at the Galang Island Hospital. (ANTARA)