Hundreds of people reportedly attended an ordination Mass for a new bishop in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) this morning, despite last-minute requests to cancel the event amid the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The Mass reportedly began at 9am today to celebrate the ordination of Siprianus Hormat, who is the new bishop of Ruteng, the capital of NTT’s Manggarai regency that is situated on Flores island.

Bali’s Tabanan regency reportedly recorded 4,804 pig deaths since an unknown swine disease swept the island early this year, with officials expecting the number to continue to rise as they scramble to contain the unidentified virus.

Bali authorities today confirmed that all internet service on the island will still be suspended for the Balinese Day of Silence or Nyepi on March 25, noting exceptions for a number of “vital” services including hospitals and police stations.

Bali welcomed over 150,000 tourists in the first two weeks of March, an official said, with over 187,000 leaving the island during that same period amid the novel coronavirus outbreak that has affected at least 152 countries across the globe.

Penglipuran village, a beloved tourist destination in Bali’s Bangli regency famous for its preservation of traditional culture on the daily, is temporarily closing access for tourists starting today as part of an effort to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.