JAKARTA, 4 Aug 2021:
Indonesia, one of the global epicentres of the Covid-19 pandemic, today crossed the grim milestone of registering 100,000 deaths by the disease, while the number of infections has crossed 3.5 million as authorities try to overhaul the vaccination strategy to tackle the virulent Delta variant of the virus.
The health ministry today reported 1,747 fresh deaths, taking the overall death toll to 100,636, although experts have said that the real number of deaths amongst a population of 270 million could be much higher.
Indonesia registered 34,251 new infections in the past 24 hours, a figure that shows a declining trend in the outbreak in recent weeks after the daily caseload had crossed 50,000 at one point.
However the health system continues to be stretched to the limit, while the immunisation campaign has been progressing slower than expected.
The virulence of the delta variant has led to government official admitting that achieving herd immunity through vaccination seems an unrealistic target at the moment, and authorities have focused on restrictive measures to reduce infections.
On Monday, Indonesian president Joko Widodo extended the restrictions for another week until Aug 9.
The restrictions, including curbs on travelling and advise to work from home, came into force on July 3 initially for Java and Bali islands, and were later extended to other cities across the Indonesian archipelago.
Meanwhile, the vaccination campaign is lagging behind the target rates with just 21 million people, or 10% of the eligible population, fully vaccinated. About 48 million people, or 23% of adult residents, have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The high mortality rate among children, with more than 800 minors being killed by the disease since the beginning of the pandemic, has also raised concerns in the country.
Meanwhile, Thailand today recorded new daily Covid-19 highs of 20,200 cases and 188 deaths, despite strong restrictions imposed in the outbreak epicentre Bangkok and 28 other provinces.
The outbreak, linked to the delta variant of the virus, has led the Thai government to impose stay-at-home orders, a night curfew, travel bans, gathering limits of five people and closed restaurants, bars, parks and almost all commercial establishments.
For now, the authorities have ruled out approving a 24-hour lockdown and stricter measures against the outbreak detected in April, which has accumulated more than 95% of the 672,385 cases recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, and 98% of the 5,503 deaths.
Doctors and experts have told media that numbers could be much higher.
Hospitals in the capital are on the brink of collapse with beds overflowing into parking lots and, in some centres, modified freight containers are being used as spaces to treat patients.
Community organisations are providing help to people sick at home and waiting for medical attention.
The health crisis is also affected by the slow progress of the mass vaccination campaign, which is erratic due to the lack of supply.
AstraZecena said yesterday it had delivered a total of 5.3 million doses to Thailand last month.
The country, which has also widely used the Chinese Sinovac vaccine, has administered the complete two doses to 5.7% of the population, while about 20% have had at least one dose.
– EFE