Topic: Novel Coronavirus

Country: Indonesia
School:College of San Benildo-Rizal

The Novel Coronavirus according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is a large
family of viruses that causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such
as Middle Eat Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Coronavirus
Disease is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in
humans. The outbreak first took place in China and is already common throughout the world.
Indonesia’s Coronavirus cases surge to 19 in Jakarta. The number of the Coronavirus patients
from local transmission cases in Indonesia increased sharply. The 13 new patients aged between
16 to 59 years old including two foreigners, whose nationality has not been disclosed. The rapid
spread of the virus has been alarming to the country, thus considering its population.

UN Chief Mr. António Guterres assured the world that the virus will peak, and the global
economy will recover but, until then, “We must act together to slow the spread of the virus and
look after each other”. Effective containment strategies will take place; activating and enhancing
emergency response systems; dramatically increasing testing capacity and care for patients;
readying hospitals, and developing life-saving medical interventions. The Center for Disaster
Philanthropy has a response fund that will focus on supporting local nonprofit organizations
working in areas identified as having high numbers of affected individuals and those who are
working with the most vulnerable populations in these areas to help build heir capacity for
response. These will include social service organizations focused on supporting hourly wage
earners, workers in the gig economy, and etc.

It goes out that Indonesia is not immune to the Novel Coronavirus that has affected more
than 100,000 people in more than 60 countries around the world. Indonesia’s government
announced that there were 27 new cases on Saturday, March 14, but did not provide any details
on individual cases. It also announced that fifth patient had died, while total of eight had
recovered, without detailing the case number. Cases are said to have spread across the country,
including Jakarta, Yogyakarta, West Java, Central Java, Banten, North Sulawesi, and West
Kalimantan. Indonesia does not have independent centers for disease control and prevention. The
Health Ministry is now leading the management of the health crisis, with its secretary, Achmad
Yurianto. Some experts, including those leading the fight against the bird flu outbreak between
2006 and 2010, have called for the creation of a special committee similar to the now-defunct
National Commission for Avian Influenza to lead the battle against the virus. The Ministry,
however, insisted that such an agency was not needed. Indonesia would like to cleanse all
households and other establishments to fight this pandemic.

Indonesia would like to seek help to the UN to find ways to have appropriate facilities for
the patients and the people with unconfirmed cases of the virus. Indonesia would also like to
implement a community quarantine, something similar to the Philippines to avoid the spread of
the virus. Also, a lockdown to all airports and seaports for the safety of the citizens and other
people planning to enter the country. This is effective since this is the solution of other countries
and to contain the virus. This would also lessen the spread of it since the country would be in
complete isolation. For now, the government’s current priority is the 132 referral hospitals.