Indonesia’s Covid-19 Cases Officially Highest in ASEAN

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Covid-19 numbers are officially the highest in the ASEAN region. The country noted 41,431 cases since President Joko Widodo confirmed the first case in March 2. The figure surpassed Singapore’s tally of 41,216 cases.

Indonesia's daily infection number reached 1,031 cases on June 17. 

Counting the toll

“East Java noted the most new cases with 225, followed by Jakarta with 127 and Central Java with 115,” said Indonesian government spokesman Achmad Yurianto.

“The death toll has also risen to 2,276 after another 45 people died of Covid-19 between June 16 and 17.” Indonesia's Covid-19 death toll is also the highest in Southeast Asia.

Also read: People With Pre-Existing Conditions At Higher Risk of Coronavirus in Indonesia

The number of deaths per day reached a high of 64 people as Indonesia entered the New Normal phase last Monday. The number surpassed the previous high of 59 recorded last May.

Recovery rate continues to surge

However, this data is somewhat offset by the recovery rate. “540 people are confirmed to have recovered from Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and molecular tests,” he added. “This brings the total of recovered cases to 16,243 people. Another 22,912 are currently hospitalized.”

Also read: Universitas Indonesia Unveils New Ventilator to Counter Covid-19

Achmad noted that the medical authorities stepped up their work on testing. “Our researchers have examined an additional 19,757 samples, raising their total number to 559,872,” he said.

“That is how we found an additional 1,031 positive cases leading up to our current tally of 41,431.”

Adapting to Covid-19

“We cannot hope that a Covid-19 vaccine will be found to render us immune just yet,” Achmad said. “But this should not keep us from being productive. Life must still go on.”

He urged the public to practise new habits such as maintaining social distancing, avoiding crowds, wearing masks when outdoors, and constant washing of hands to stay safe and break the chain of infection.

(Writer: Dian Erika Nugraheny/Editors: Icha Rastika, Bayu Galih) 

Sources: 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/18/06573121/ada-41431-kasus-covid-19-di-indonesia-kebiasaan-baru-dan-vaksin-yang-belum?page=all#page2. 
https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/15/16235451/64-pasien-meninggal-dalam-sehari-tertinggi-dalam-kasus-covid-19-di-indonesia?page=all