A woman receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine during a mass vaccination campaign at Ciledug Youth Sport Center in Tangerang, Indonesia, July 17, 2021. Due to the surging of COVID-19 cases over the past few days in the country, Indonesia resorted to boost the vaccination program against the lingering coronavirus disease. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.)
JAKARTA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 51,952 within one day to 2,832,755, with the death toll adding by 1,092 to 72,489, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.
According to the ministry, 27,903 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 2,232,394.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has decided to extend the emergency public activity restrictions, known locally as PPKM Darurat, to July 31 amid the ongoing surge in COVID-19 transmissions, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said on Friday as reported by state-news agency Antara.
The emergency restrictions initially imposed on the country's most populated island of Java and the resort island of Bali were set to end on July 20. The policy was later expanded to 15 regions outside the two islands as surges in new COVID-19 cases were found in those regions.
Indonesia has provided self-isolating patients of COVID-19 with medicines and vitamins for free.
Joko has officially distributed 300,000 packages of free medicines and vitamins to COVID-19 sufferers with mild symptoms and people without indications who are now undergoing self-isolation in risk areas of Java island and the island of Bali since Thursday.
The government has reportedly prepared a worst-case scenario in anticipation of a steeper climb in daily infections. Enditem
