Indonesia bans Ramazan exodus over virus fears

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Indonesia has banned an annual exodus that sees millions travel across the vast nation to mark the end of Ramazan over fears of a surge in Covid-19 infections.

Travellers pack into airports, train stations and ports across the nearly 5,000-kilometre long archipelago in a mass migration, known as Mudik, that is similar to China's Lunar New Year holiday or Christmas.

“There will be no Mudik in 2021,” Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said in a statement, citing fears of spreading the virus and inoculation efforts.

But he added that some may get exemptions for “urgent travel”, without elaborating.

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