Main streets are less crowded as Indonesia’s capital begins two weeks of social restrictions to curb a rise of coronavirus infections that has pushed its critical-care hospital capacity to unsafe levels.

Jakarta Gov Anies Baswedan announced the restrictions yesterday, to last from Monday to Sept 27, in what he described as an emergency decision to control a rapid expansion in coronavirus cases in Jakarta.

Jakarta previously imposed large-scale social restrictions from April to June, then eased the gradually with businesses reopening and using health protocols.

But the virus has spread significantly since June, and medical facilities are filling with sick patients. Seven of 67 Covid-19 referral hospitals in Jakarta are 100 per cent occupied, while 46 are more than 60pc occupied.