Indonesia hopes to resume a normal life by July. The Southeast Asian country is aiming for a significant reduction in the number of new coronavirus infections by June, corona task force chief Doni Monardo said Monday.

 

The fourth most populous country in the world has officially reported 9096 cases of the coronavirus, the second-highest in Southeast Asia after Singapore.

Some medical experts fear that the relatively low numbers of tests mask a much higher infection rate.

Indonesia, which has reported 765 deaths, the highest number in East Asia outside of China, has also more slowly imposed restrictions on people’s freedom of movement than some neighbouring countries.

“The President has asked that we work harder, that people obey and are more disciplined, and that the authorities are stricter so that by June we hope to reduce infections in Indonesia,” said Monardo after a cabinet meeting.

“We hope to return to normal life in July,” he said. Testing will be “massive” between April and May, he promised.