Indonesia reports highest daily rise in COVID-19 cases

By Nicky Aulia Widadio

JAKARTA (AA) - Indonesia on Tuesday confirmed 107 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily increase to date in the country, bringing the total number to 686.

“At least six people died over the past 24 hours. The total number of deaths in the country has now reached 55,” Achmad Yurianto, the government’s spokesman for coronavirus-related matters revealed at a news briefing.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered patients remained at 30.

Yurianto said that 80% of the confirmed cases were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

So far, 24 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia have reported cases of the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.

As many as 424 cases were reported in the capital Jakarta. At least 31 of them died and 23 others recovered.

Indonesia has also modified the Athletes Village in Jakarta into emergency hospital to treat COVID-19 patients since Monday.

“The emergency hospital has received 102 visits today (Tuesday). As many as 71 people were immediately treated, while 31 others were told to self-quarantine at their homes,” the spokesman added.

He said the emergency hospital would treat patients with mild to moderate symptoms. Meanwhile, patients with severe symptoms will be referred to other referral hospitals.

Currently, the Indonesian government is conducting rapid tests to detect more cases of COVID-19.

A total of 125,000 test kits from China have arrived and will be prioritized for health workers and people who have been exposed to the coronavirus.

Indonesia has confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19 on March 2, 2020. The number of confirmed cases has continued to increase since then.

The novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China last December and has spread to at least 169 countries and territories. The WHO has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has now surpassed 387,300, while the death toll is more than 16,700, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who become infected suffer only mild symptoms and recover.

*Writing by Maria Elisa Hospita from Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language service.