Indonesia hits half a million COVID-19 cases
Hospitals across Indonesia are close to breaking point with COVID-19 patients, as the country passed half a million cases of the disease on Monday (November 23).
Deaths also hit a grim milestone on the same day, surpassing 16,000.
Patient occupancy at 27 referral hospitals in the capital of West Java province, home to almost 50 million people was 88.8%.
More than 502,000 infections have been recorded in Indonesia, and public health experts say shortfalls in testing and contact tracing suggest the real numbers are likely to be significantly higher.
In Jakarta, where relatively loose social restrictions will remain in place until the end of next week, locals met the milestone with glum resignation.
Dewi Nuraini is a trader at one market in the capital.
"Our economy is crumbling and there's a decrease in people's purchasing power. We lost 90 percent of our sales. Also, there's an air of fear among the people. If we want to start a business, it will meet a dead end. I would say Indonesia's economy is falling at 100 percent."
Epidemiologists warn Indonesia's struggle with the virus is far from over. One was quoted as saying infection rates are “still increasing in all provinces... nowhere has reached its peak."
The head of the COVID-19 task force has called for more action to ensure hospital occupancy does not rise further.
