Batam is tightening supervision at its international entry points, apparently due to the rise of Covid-19 cases in Singapore, according to Antara News on Dec. 7.

The recent rise in Covid-19 cases in Singapore also seemingly prompted Indonesia's health minister to call for Indonesians to get vaccinated against the virus.

No special travel requirements for foreigners into Indonesia

The city's Port Health Office (KKP) head Ahmad Hidayat told Antara News on Dec. 7 that they had re-installed body temperature scanners at the city’s international port to tighten supervision measures.

Currently, there are no special travel requirements for foreigners travelling to Indonesia, according to Hidayat.

However, he added that his team continued to conduct checks at Indonesia's entry points for travellers. Hidayat advised Indonesians to postpone non-essential travel to countries which were currently experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Although he did not list these countries, it is believed that he may be referring to the recent rise of Covid-19 cases in Singapore.

Antara News claimed that the measures were linked to rising Covid-19 cases in Singapore, although it did not quote Hidayat directly for this claim.

Indonesians urged to get vaccinated due to rise in Covid-19 cases in S'pore

More than 22,000 people in Singapore were reportedly infected with the Covid-19 virus from Nov. 19 to 25. The following week, the number of infected people increased to over 32,000, The Straits Times reported.

On Dec. 4, Indonesia's health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin also urged Indonesians to get vaccinated and adhere to health protocols, in response to Singapore's recent Covid-19 case spike.

Meanwhile, Indonesia has reported an increase in Covid-19 cases on Dec. 5, from fewer than 50 to above 260 in a week, according to The Jakarta Post.

In spite of the spike, the situation had still been apparently manageable and under control, Hidayat said.

Increased supervision since rise of pneumonia cases

Hidayat also claimed that supervision had been tightened at the port since "the onset of pneumonia cases".

Although he did not elaborate further, he could have been referring to Indonesia's recent pneumonia cases.

On Dec. 6, the Indonesian health ministry announced that there were six confirmed cases of mycoplasma pneumonia in the country, the Jakarta Post reported.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae usually affects children, and the patients were aged three to 12.

China had experienced a recent rise in respiratory illness cases, including Covid-19 and mycoplasma pneumoniae, according to a press release by the World Health Organisation on Nov. 22.

However, China Daily reported on Dec. 10 that paediatric mycoplasma pneumoniae cases were “gradually falling”, quoting a spokesperson from the National Health Commission.

Top image from Canva.

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