Indonesia Readies More Medical Options for Worst-case Coronavirus Scenario

JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Indonesia has prepared backup medical facilities for a worst-case scenario where daily coronavirus infections reach 40,000 to 50,000, an official said on Tuesday, as the country reported another day of record fatalities from its worst outbreak so far.

Indonesia has one of Asia's most severe COVID-19 epidemics, exacerbated by the highly infectious Delta variant, with hospitals overstretched, oxygen supply problems and a growing number of sick unable to receive medical attention. Southeast Asia's largest and most populous country has seen record daily infections in 11 of the past 16 days, with 31,189 new cases and 728 fatalities on Tuesday. Just 1.6% of its more than 270 million population have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.