Indonesia invokes emergency measures in Jakarta, bonuses for doctors

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo takes a look at the emergency hospital handling of COVID-19 in Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/ via REUTERS

Indonesia's capital Jakarta shut cinemas and other public entertainment on Monday at the start of a two-week emergency period to try to slow the accelerating spread of the coronavirus in Southeast Asia's biggest city.

The new measures, which include urging people to work from home, still fall short of the tougher lockdowns imposed by neighbors amid concerns among some experts that the archipelago of 260 million people is not doing enough to contain the virus.

Firefighters spray disinfectant on the road, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia March 22, 2020. Antara Foto/Arnas Padda via REUTERS

National police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said 465,000 police across Indonesia would disperse any public gatherings "for the sake of public safety" though a photograph posted on social media of a packed commuter train in Jakarta quickly went viral.

President Joko Widodo on Monday offered his condolences after a medical association said six doctors and nurses had died after contracting the virus.

"I would like to thank them for their hard work, for their dedication in dealing with COVID-19," said Widodo, speaking at the opening of an emergency hospital on the site of the “Athlete’s Village” built for the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo takes a look at the emergency hospital handling of COVID-19 in Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/ via REUTERS

Indonesia has confirmed 514 cases of the virus and 48 deaths, mainly concentrated in Jakarta, whose governor on Friday admitted medical staff were already getting over-stretched.

Widodo said doctors and other medical staff would receive bonuses ranging from 5 million rupiah to 15 million rupiah ($300-$900) per month in regions that have declared an emergency. Aside from Jakarta, the East Java region has also declared an emergency.

The president has so far resisted calls for tougher lockdowns due to concerns about the impact on businesses and the poor, many of whom are vendors plying their trade on the streets.

A worker sprays disinfectant in the bus, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Surabaya, East Java Province, Indonesia March 22, 2020. Antara Foto/Zabur Karuru via REUTERS

The normally traffic-clogged streets of the city of 10 million were far quieter than usual on Monday and student volunteers at a crossing on a major road held up signs urging people to avoid crowds and stay home.

But Rocky Margiano Simanjuntak, 23, posted a photograph on social media from inside a packed early morning train on his way to work in the city at a bank.

"Government policies seem to be only half measures, just an appeal," Simanjuntak told Reuters via a message on his Instagram account, adding that public transport should not be limited unless authorities enforced rules to make people stay at home.

People wearing protective face masks, as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), stand in a crowded train, in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020, in this picture obtained from social media. Rocky Margiano/via REUTERS

The commuter train company in a statement promised to return to normal operations to alleviate such crushes, but urged passengers to stay home.

(Additional rporting by Stanley Widianto, Tabita Diela and Fransiska Nangoy; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo takes a look at the emergency hospital handling of COVID-19 in Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/ via REUTERS

A worker sprays disinfectant on motorists, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Surabaya, East Java Province, Indonesia March 22, 2020. Picture taken March 22, 2020. Antara Foto/Zabur Karuru via REUTERS

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo takes a look at the emergency hospital handling of COVID-19 in Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/ via REUTERS

A medical officer checks medical devices at an emergency hospital that is handling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of the disease, in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A via REUTERS

People wearing protective face masks, as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), stand in a crowded train, in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020, in this picture obtained from social media. Rocky Margiano/via REUTERS

Medical officers check devices at an emergency hospital, handling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Kemayoran Athletes Village, in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. INDONESIA OUT.

Medical officers check devices at an emergency hospital, handling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kemayoran Athletes Village, in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. INDONESIA OUT.

A medical officer checks devices at an emergency hospital, handling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Kemayoran Athletes Village, in Jakarta, Indonesia March 23, 2020. Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. INDONESIA OUT.