Jakarta. The Jakarta provincial government said as of Monday a total of 1,512 companies have implemented a "work from home" policy to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in the capital, now seen as the epicenter of the pandemic in Indonesia.

The temporary office closure will be in effect from March 23 to April 5.

"There are 1,512 companies, with a total of 517,743 workers, that are implementing Covid-19 preventive measures, including by allowing their employees to work from home," the Jakarta provincial government said on its Instagram account.

On Friday, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan issued a circular ordering the temporary closure of offices in Jakarta. 

"All office activities [in Jakarta] are temporarily suspended, [staff must] work from home," Anies said during a press conference at City Hall.

Companies that are unable to close their offices are requested to reduce operations to a minimum by limiting the number of staff, opening times and available facilities.

The provincial government has also ordered the temporary closure of entertainment spots, including nightclubs, bars, karaokes, massage parlors, spas and cinemas.

"In response to the increasingly worrying rate of Covid-19 infection, we will close entertainment and recreation premises in Jakarta for two weeks," Cucu Ahmad Kurnia, the head of Jakarta's tourism and creative economy office, said on Friday.

He also appealed to the business owners to disinfect their premises and tell authorities if any of their staff shows symptoms of Covid-19. 

"We also appeal to event organizers to postpone events until further notice," Cucu said.

As of Sunday, the government had announced 514 Covid-19 cases with a death toll of 48. A total of 29 patients recovered from the infection and have been sent home from hospitals.

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