Indonesia has frequently reported more daily coronavirus infections than India and Brazil as the Delta strain sweeps across southeast Asia, placing intense pressure on health systems.
- On Saturday, Indonesia reported 51,952 cases and 1,092 deaths, higher than India and Brazil for a third day running. More than 72,400 people have died, according to official records. Only the UK, which has a far higher testing rate, recorded more new infections on Saturday, 54,674.
- In Malaysia, shipping containers have been sent to hospitals as their morgues are so overwhelmed. In Thailand, field hospitals are being built at the capital’s two airports. In Myanmar, social media has been inundated with desperate pleas for oxygen.
- After months of decline, hospitalizations and deaths have begun climbing again, with over 35,000 U.S. infections reported last Thursday.
- It anticipated that coronavirus cases could hit 200,000 a day in the UK this year and cause “major disruption” to the NHS, according to the scientist whose initial modeling helped shape Britain’s coronavirus lockdown strategy.
- Meanwhile, the World Health Organization warns COVID cases to continue to surge across the African continent. WHO’s Africa regional director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said, “Deaths have climbed steeply for the past five weeks, jumping 40% in the past week. This is a clear warning. Our hospitals are at the breaking point. In all, 153,000 people have, sadly, died.”
Scientists have strongly endorsed the continued wearing of masks in enclosed public spaces over the summer. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has warned of a “widening global vaccine divide” and urged rich countries to speed up the delivery of vaccines.
