Indonesia has reported record daily COVID-19 infections of more than 20,000 in recent days, in a new wave of infections fuelled by the emergence of highly transmissible COVID-19 variants and increased mobility after the Muslim fasting month.
JAKARTA -Indonesia's COVID-19 surge is on the edge of a "catastrophe" as the more infectious Delta variant dominates transmission and chokes hospitals in Southeast Asia's worst epidemic, the Red Cross said on Tuesday.
"Every day we are seeing this Delta variant driving Indonesia closer to the edge of a COVID-19 catastrophe," said Jan Gelfand, head of the Indonesian delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies , urging better vaccine access globally. It comes as pressure grows from health workers for tighter restrictions as infections surge to unprecedented levels. Indonesia's health minister is leading a push for stricter controls, sources familiar with government discussions have told Reuters.
Indonesia is banking on mass vaccinations to get on top of the virus, but only 13.3 million of the 181.5 million targeted for inoculation have received the required two doses.
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