The Latest: Indonesia bans traveling home for Eid al-Fitr

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia is prohibiting travel during the popular homecoming period to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

COVID-19 cases have been decreasing in the world’s most populous Muslim country, but the government imposed the ban after seeing a significant rise in the mortality rate last year after the Eid holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

The ban started Thursday and will last for 12 days, exempting only civil servants, police and military officers, and those who need to travel for work.

Indonesia has confirmed more than 1.6 million cases and 46,000 deaths from COVID-19, the largest totals in Southeast Asia.

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