Indonesia's coronavirus spike has health experts worried the worst is yet to come
Story by Reuters
Updated 6:39 AM ET, Fri June 11, 2021
Why Asia's 'Zero Covid' strategy could backfire
WHO chief: Monumental error to think Covid-19 danger has passed
Taiwan coronavirus Covid-19 vaccine Dr. Chen Chien-jen Ripley pkg intl hnk vpx_00003820.png
What went wrong in Taiwan as island unravels its Covid success
black fungus india coronavirus vpx_00004914.png
What we know about 'black fungus' infection in India
coronavirus covid argentina hospital ICU Romo pkg intl ldn vpx_00003610.png
Argentina is in a Covid crisis. See inside an ICU
coronavirus vaccines cuba havana oppmann pkg intl ldn vpx_00002116.png
See what Cuba's vaccination program looks like
CNN's Larry Madowo speaks with Kenyan health minister Mutahi Kagwe as the East African nation is now just days away from running out of Covid-19 vaccines, with only about 100,000 AstraZeneca doses left.
Kenya's health minister: Africa 'must stop believing' world will help
screengrab hong kong vaccination center
Hong Kong's vaccine drive is faltering. Here's why
This nurse is on a mission to vaccinate an entire island
screengrab zero covid
Why Asia's 'Zero Covid' strategy could backfire
Employees prepare the National Stadium for the Copa America soccer tournament in Brasilia, Brazil, Friday, June 11, 2021. The stadium will host the opening game on June 13. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Bolsonaro's boast to host Copa América despite Covid-19 pandemic
Olympics volunteers say Covid-19 protections are inadequate
Medical staff prepare Moderna coronavirus vaccines for use at the newly-opened mass vaccination centre in Tokyo on May 24, 2021. (Photo by Carl Court / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
US intelligence working on report about Covid-19 origins
Covid-19 cases in Uganda were up 137% this week, the second straight week of a triple-digit spike in infections. The rapid surge in Uganda's brutal second wave has forced the country back into a partial lockdown to curb the spread.
CNN's Larry Madowo reports from Kampala, Uganda.
See inside an Ugandan ICU dealing with a surge in Covid patients
Vietnam coronavirus variant Covid-19 Hancocks pkg intl hnk vpx_00012406.png
Vietnam sees Covid-19 surge amid potentially 'new variant'
India orphan children coronavirus covid-19 sud pkg intl hnk vpx_00000521.png
India's brutal second wave is leaving hundreds of children orphans
Greece Mykonos Covid-free islands Kiley pkg intl hnk vpx_00000202.png
Greece banks on 'Covid-free' islands to lure visitors
Case numbers have risen sharply in Java and Sumatra three weeks after holidays that followed the Islamic fasting month, when millions ventured across the archipelago, ignoring a temporary travel ban.
In Kudus, central Java, cases skyrocketed 7,594% since then, according to Wiku Adisasmito of Indonesia's Covid-19 taskforce. Health care reinforcements have been brought in, but hospital capacity had hit 90%, local media reported.
Defriman Djafri, an epidemiologist from Andalas University in Padang, said fatalities in West Sumatra in May were the highest on record.
In Riau on Sumatra, daily cases more than doubled from early April to over 800 by mid-May, while the positivity rate was at 35.8% last week, said Wildan Asfan Hasibuan, an epidemiologist and provincial task force adviser.
Beyond India, a growing number of Asian countries are being ravaged by fresh coronavirus waves
Beyond India, a growing number of Asian countries are being ravaged by fresh coronavirus waves
Wildan attributed the spike to increased mobility and possible spread of coronavirus variants, which have driven big spikes in many countries.
The impact of variants is hard to determine in Indonesia, which has limited genomic sequencing capacity.
The country also has testing and tracing shortfalls, and its immunization drive has progressed slowly, with one in 18 people targeted for inoculations fully vaccinated so far.
Recent studies have also indicated cases could be far higher than the nearly 1.9 million known infections, among Asia's highest caseloads.
Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist from Australia's Griffith University, said Indonesia should take variants more seriously -- particularly the B.1.617.2 strain, first identified in India, which he said was in its early stage of spreading.
"If we don't change our strategy, we will face an explosion of cases in the community, mortality will increase," he said.
"It means sooner or later it will reach the more vulnerable ... we will face an explosion of cases which we cannot contain or respond to in our health facilities."
