Indonesia surpasses 2.5 million Covid-19 cases
Indonesia has just become the first Southeast Asian country to surpass 2.5 million Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic and is among the countries with the highest daily case count in the world.
In recent days, Indonesia has seen a worrying increase in new cases, reaching more than 36,000 yesterday, while the number of deaths has also continuously set records.
 |
| People in Medan, North Sumatra province, Indonesia, are tested for Covid-19 on July 10. Photo: Reuters |
Hospitals in the country are facing shortages, even running out of oxygen. Some have temporarily closed or refused to admit patients due to a lack of staff and equipment. According to Jody Mahardi, spokesman for the Indonesian Ministry of Coordination for Pandemic Response, the government is committed to ensuring the supply of oxygen and is seeking emergency supplies from other countries, including Singapore, the United States and China.
“The government has imposed price caps on 11 drugs during the current pandemic and will continue to ensure the supply of oxygen cylinders. We are targeting 100% of oxygen production in Indonesia to be used for medical purposes. All oxygen used in industry will be diverted to medical use,” said Jody Mahardi.
Indonesia's daily oxygen demand is now more than 1,900 tons per day, compared to a total production capacity of 2,262 tons per day. With the rapid spread of the Delta variant, the Indonesian government has warned that the country could face a worst-case scenario of 50,000 cases per day and the next two weeks will be crucial./.
