What’s behind Indonesia’s COVID-19 surge?

Infections and deaths rise dramatically in Asia’s new pandemic hotspot.

COVID-19 is sweeping across Indonesia at alarming speed, overtaking India as Asia’s pandemic epicentre.

The country recorded more than 34,000 new infections and 1,300 deaths on Monday. Researchers believe the real figures could be much higher because of low testing rates.

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‘Dying in their homes’: COVID-hit Indonesians scramble for oxygen

‘How can a democracy function in such conditions?’

Makeshift graveyards are working round the clock. Overwhelmed hospitals are telling patients to bring their own oxygen supply.

At least 114 doctors have died of COVID-19 this month, despite 95 percent of health workers being fully vaccinated, mostly with the Chinese-made Sinovac jab.

How did the outbreak spiral out of control?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Irma Hidayana – Co-founder of LaporCOVID-19, an independent coronavirus data initiative

Dicky Budiman – Epidemiologist, Griffith University, Australia

Bambang Harymurti – Indonesian public policy analyst