JAKARTA, Feb. 5 : The Jakarta administration is considering imposing full lockdowns throughout the city on weekends in yet another attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19, but experts say the plan would not be effective at preventing transmission.

Jakarta deputy governor Ahmad Riza Patria mentioned the plan on Tuesday, saying that the administration was considering it to prevent people from attending crowded events.

“The governor will hold internal meetings to see if the recommendation given by a House [of Representatives] lawmaker is feasible, ” Riza said, as quoted by tempo.co.

The idea of weekend lockdowns was first raised by National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Saleh Daulay, who sits on House Commission IX overseeing health.

He argued that public activity restrictions (PPKM) had not been ineffective. PPKM was imposed in 77 regencies and municipalities in Java and Bali from Jan. 11 to 25.

It was then extended to Feb 8 in response to persistent increases in Covid-19 cases.

As reported by kompas.com, Daulay suggested that the authorities impose a curfew from Friday night until Sunday evening that would bar people from leaving their homes for most purposes.

The Covid-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 11,749 within one day to 1,134,854, with the death toll adding by 201 to 31,202, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

According to the ministry, 9,674 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 926,980.

The virus has spread to all the country's 34 provinces.

Specifically, within the past 24 hours, Jakarta recorded 3,340 new cases, West Java 2,117, Central Java 1,884, East Java 799 and East Kalimantan 798.

Another 28 overseas Indonesians were confirmed positive for Covid-19, bringing the total cases in this group to 3,092, according to the Foreign Ministry on Friday.

Besides, 21 more Indonesians abroad have recovered from Covid-19, bringing the total recoveries from the disease to 2,235.

The ministry also recorded that 686 overseas Indonesians are still under medical treatment, and the death toll in this group remains 171.

 - ANN