Indonesia extends COVID curbs to July 25 as cases remain high

Indonesia extended its pandemic-linked restrictions to July 25 as the number of coronavirus infections remained high, aiming for a gradual easing of curbs next week if infections drop, President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday.

The number of coronavirus infections remained high in Indonesia.
The number of coronavirus infections remained high in Indonesia.

COVID-19 cases in Indonesia are currently among the highest in the world due to the rapid spread of the Delta variant, despite the imposition this month of the strictest restrictions on the movement of people so far during the pandemic.

Indonesia had imposed COVID-linked restrictions on July 3 for the island of Java and Bali and other cities across the archipelago, including having workers of non-essential businesses work from home, curbing travel, and closing shopping malls.

After the restrictions began, Jokowi, as the president widely known, said infection numbers started falling.

"If the trend of cases continue to decline, from July 26 the government will initiate gradual easing," he said in a virtual address.

Infections have been repeatedly around 50,000 per day in the past week. The number of fatalities has also stayed above 1,000 for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.

The health system in some areas has been pushed to breaking point by a deluge of patients, and on Monday, Indonesia reported a record 1,338 coronavirus deaths.

Despite a lower number of infections this week, the positivity rate remained high, at 33%, on Tuesday. The rate has been above 20% since June 30.

Meanwhile, millions of Muslims on Tuesday celebrated Eid al-Adha, one of the most important Islamic festivals, amid the coronavirus curbs, although some mosques reportedly flouted the restrictions and held mass prayers.

Reuters