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JAKARTA: Indonesia reported 4,411 new coronavirus infections on Thursday (October 15), bringing its count to 349,160, surpassing the Philippines with the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia.
Indonesia also reported 112 new deaths from COVID-19, with a total of 12,268 deaths.
The Philippines had registered 348,698 cases and 6,497 deaths as of Thursday.
READ: Duterte wants the entire Philippine population to be vaccinated against COVID-19
On Sunday, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced that Jakarta would begin a two-week “transitional” period of coronavirus reduction starting Monday, after the pace of infections slowed in the past two weeks.
Tighter social restrictions were re-imposed in mid-September, after a sudden increase in viral infections put pressure on the city’s health services.
“We need to emphasize that discipline must remain high so that the transmission chain remains under control and we do not have to make an emergency brake again,” Baswedan said in a statement Sunday.
READ: Singapore and Indonesia agree to launch the greenway for essential official and business travel
The new measures allow non-essential businesses to work from offices, but using only half their capacity, while customers dining in restaurants are also limited to 50 percent of their capacity.
Parks and museums have started to open up with some sidewalks, while all businesses must follow a strict hygiene protocol and keep their visitors’ data to track contacts.
READ: Indonesia FM calls for ‘equal access’ to COVID-19 vaccines
AstraZeneca will provide Indonesia with 100 million coronavirus vaccines next year, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Masrudi said on Wednesday.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health signed a letter of intent with AstraZeneca, Retno added.
“The first shipment will be made in the first half of 2021,” he told a press conference.
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