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COVID-19 situation in Indonesia on the verge of catastrophe – Red Cross

The latest surge of coronavirus infections is pushing Indonesia to the edge of catastrophe as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread choking hospitals across the Southeast Asian country.

Indonesia has seen a record daily COVID-19 infections of over 20,000 in recent days.

The recent surge is attributed to highly transmissible virus variants and increased mobility after the Muslim fasting month, Reuters reported.

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“Every day we are seeing this Delta variant driving Indonesia closer to the edge of a COVID-19 catastrophe,” head of the Indonesian delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Jan Gelfand said.

The hospitals in the capital Jakarta along with areas under the red zone have reached full capacity with 93% of isolation beds occupied as of Sunday.

It comes as health workers are urging for stricter movement restrictions with the health minister leading the charge.

“Hospitals are full because of the case surge caused by mobility and loosening health protocol adherence, worsened also by the Delta variant,” senior health ministry official Siti Nadia Tarmizi said in response to IFRC assessment.

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Some medical supplies such as oxygen tanks are running out of supply although the health authorities explained the shortage is temporary.

Indonesia is counting on its mass vaccination program to curb the spread of the virus. The country has so far fully inoculated 13.3 million of the 181.5 million target population. (RA)

Staff Report

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