Fresh record as Asean sees over 90,000 new Covid-19 cases
The number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia crossed 5.76 million, with 90,330 new cases reported on Wednesday – higher than Tuesday’s tally of 78,547 – while there were 1,519 more deaths, increasing from Tuesday’s 1,266 and taking total Covid-19 deaths in Asean to 110,223.
Indonesia reported 54,517 more cases, another new high, with 991 deaths, bringing cumulative cases in that country to 2,670,046 patients and a total of 69,210 deaths so far.
The government is concerned that the Delta variant of the virus is spreading to other regions beside Java Island and will result in a worsening shortage of medical professionals, oxygen and drugs.
Vietnam meanwhile reported 2,934 new cases on Wednesday, the country’s highest daily infections since the outbreak started, bringing cumulative cases to 37,434 patients and a total of 135 deaths so far.
The country’s Public Health Ministry has allowed the use of different vaccines for two doses: those who have received AstraZeneca as their first shot can have Pfizer for their second jab at an interval of 8-12 weeks. The country plans to distribute a fresh lot of 745,000 doses of Pfizer to areas with high infections.
