Asean reports over 39,000 Covid-19 cases for fourth consecutive day
Southeast Asia reported 39,463 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, higher than Sunday’s 39,054, but deaths were lower at 614, down from the previous days 665.
The number of Covid-19 cases crossed 4.81 million across Asean, while the death toll rose to 92,935.
Indonesia reported more than half the cases in the region with 20,694 and 423 deaths on Monday, taking cumulative cases in the country to 2,135,998 patients and the death toll to 57,561. Indonesia’s medical association said that since the outbreak had started 405 doctors and 326 nurses have died due to Covid-19. The province that has reported the most deaths of both professions is East Java, with 69 doctors and 117 nurses dying.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian prime minister announced a 150-billion ringgit (THB1.15 trillion) aid package to help those affected by the outbreak after the government extended the countrywide lockdown indefinitely. The package includes a wage subsidy programme, cash aid, loan moratoriums, tax breaks, grants, subsidies and other measures. The government will also spend an additional 1 billion ringgit to ramp up the inoculation programme, including 400 million ringgit to buy more vaccines.
