Catatan editor

Indonesia has joined the global efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed more than 170 lives and infected more than 8,000 people.

The Indonesian government has issued a travel warning for citizens planning to go to China’s Hubei province, where the virus first emerged in one of the provincial cities, Wuhan. The aviation authority has also suspended all flights to and from China amid the outbreak. Just last night, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ordered the evacuation of Indonesian citizens still trapped in Hubei.

So far, Indonesia has claimed zero cases despite the fact Chinese tourists are the second largest foreign visitors in Indonesia.

The government has also implemented preventive measures by installing thermal scanners and medical check up posts at 135 points of entries around the country.

Since the first infection confirmed, scientists all around the world have been trying to find vaccines despite debates on the origin of the coronavirus.

Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from University of Pittsburgh, US, Haitao Guo, writes for The Conversation, arguing that the virus may have come from local snakes in China, but other researchers are sceptical.

We may have to wait for further updates from the race between global scientists in finding the cure while hoping that the number of casualties from the pneumonia-like virus will not go any higher.

Ika Krismantari

Deputy Executive Editor

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