Indonesia Sets Record for Most Coronavirus Cases and Deaths in a Month

Jakarta. Indonesia has recorded more coronavirus cases and deaths in the first 22 days of the year than the previous monthly record reported in December, as newly cases are spiraling beyond control and nearing the 1 million mark.

Southeast Asia’s biggest country has recorded a total of 965,283 coronavirus cases and 27,453 deaths since the outbreak began, according to Health Ministry data released on Friday.

The total number of active cases stands at a record 156,683 or 16.2 percent of the overall cases.

Newly cases and death toll have been rising dramatically since late November and growing even faster since early this month with experts blaming traveling and gathering during year-end holiday season for the sudden spike.

The country has added 222,085 cases in the 22-day period, above the previous monthly record of 204,315 reported in December.

With still nine days to go, January already becomes the deadliest month in the Indonesian outbreak, with 5,315 Covid deaths month to date to beat the December death toll of 5,193, according to the Jakarta Globe tally.

Jakarta has registered more than 59,000 cases month to date, already well above its monthly record of 46,800 cases in December, to take its total to 243,018 -- more than any other provinces.

The figures include 3,918 deaths, the third-highest death toll after that of East and Central Java.

West Java comes next with a total of 121,239 cases and 1,493 deaths. It has been averaging more than 1,700 cases since the beginning of the month.

The total number of cases in the country’s most populous province has jumped by 127 percent since December 1.

Central Java has recorded 111,623 cases overall, including 4,871 deaths. The daily count in Central Java has topped 1,000 cases in the last two weeks.

East Java has more Covid deaths than any other provinces, totaling 7,266 from 104,342 cases overall.

The four provinces in the country’s most crowded island of Java make up 60 percent of the total number of cases nationwide.

South Sulawesi is the second province where the total number of cases has more than doubled in less than two months.

It has recorded a total of 44,290 cases, an increase of 113 percent on its figures on December 1.

The average of daily numbers in South Sulawesi currently stands at 602, in comparison to 335 in December.

East Kalimantan has added nearly 9,000 cases month to date to take its total to 36,048. It has the highest number of Covid deaths outside Java, totaling 921.

Coronavirus cases are rising at a faster speed this month in other hotspots like Bali, Banten and, in particular, Yogyakarta.

Both Banten and Bali have recorded over 23,000 cases overall to join the ten worst-affected provinces, averaging more than 230 cases this month.

Yogyakarta now has thrice the total number of cases on December 1, from 6,073 to 18,736.