JAKARTA, Dec 2 — Indonesia is extending its mandatory quarantine period from seven days to 10 days for inbound travellers amid concerns over the new Covid-19 Omicron variant.
The revised measures would take effect from Dec 3, said Indonesia’s Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who is in charge of managing the Covid-19 pandemic.
In another precautionary measure, government officials are temporarily banned from travelling abroad and citizens have been urged not to travel as well.
“This policy is subject to change as we try to get more information about this new variant,” he said, in a statement on Wednesday, adding that no case of the Covid Omicron variant has been detected in the country yet.
Indonesia reported 10 deaths and 278 new cases yesterday. But the rise in Omicron variant cases in a number of countries have resulted in the government tightening its border restrictions.
Omicron was first reported in South Africa on Nov 24 and is quickly becoming the dominant variant there. The new strain had been detected in 23 countries so far, including the United States, according to the World Health Organisation.
— Bernama
