Popular tourist destination Bali was quiet yesterday (March 23) as tourist stay away during the COVID-19 outbreak The government on the Indonesian holiday island has already asked businesses to suspend operations to help curb the spread of the virus.
There have been three declared cases of COVID-19 and Bali authorities are keen to prevent travellers bringing in the infection from the home countries.
A 77-year-old Frenchman, who died on March 15, was the second foreigner dead in Bali after contracting the deadly virus.
The first was 53-year-old British tourist, Kimberley Finlayson, who passed away on March 11 in Bali’s Sanglah Hospital.
Fears of a surge in cases emerged after officials said they will allow tens of thousands of people to attend Hindu ceremonies for the island’s new year, or Nyepi, celebrations this week in contravention of Indonesian government calls for social distancing.
British stuck on the island are calling on the government to bring them home, saying they face the prospect of being trapped for months due to the COVID-19 outbreak.