JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): As residents in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta flocked to convenience stores to stock up on medical supplies after the nation announced its first coronavirus case this week, those in other parts of the country reacted by hoarding herbs and medicinal plants believed to be effective in preventing viral infections.
The panic buying is taking a toll on vendors of traditional herbal medicine, known locally as 'jamu'. Vendors complain that the prices of the main ingredients for their drinks, such as red ginger, have soared.