Indonesia's COVID-19 cases surpass 24,000

The Indonesian government spokesperson on COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto said between noon yesterday and noon today, 687 new positive cases and 23 deaths due to the virus, were recorded.

"The total positive cases now stood at 24,538 with 13,250 patients still under surveillance," he said in his daily press conference broadcast via the National Agency for Disaster Management's (BNPB) official YouTube channel.

Jakarta still holds the record of highest casualties with 509 deaths, followed by East Java (334).

The police and the authorities are tightening control on entry to Jakarta to ensure those who have gone back to their hometown for Aidilfitri celebration would not return to the province so as to curb the COVID-19 infection.

Meanwhile, Head of Jakarta Transportation Agency Syafrin Liputo, in a statement, said that as of yesterday, a total of 6,364 motorists from other provinces had been stopped and ordered to turn back as they did not have the permit from the police to enter Jakarta.

The positive COVID-19 cases in Jakarta are showing downward trends and no deaths were recorded for the past few days.