With 65 new cases of Covid-19 infection on Tuesday, China reported its second-highest tally since January this year when it had 92 cases. Health authorities ascribed it to a surge seen in southwestern Yunnan province on the border with Myanmar.
The infections were detected in Chinese nationals who had returned from Myanmar. The Chinese junction towns of Ruili and Longchuan are continuously reporting small numbers of coronavirus cases due to constant cross-border movement.
China has reported a total tally of 92,342 infections and a static 4,636 deaths since the virus was first reported in the central city of Wuhan, Hubei province, in late 2019.
Elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific, pandemic cases in neighbouring Myanmar are going up as well as the military government has not been able to control the situation, partly due to rising anti-coup protests. The Myanmarese Ministry of Health and Sports said the country had 5,189 new Covid-19 cases, with 281 more deaths in the past 24 hours.
Delta variant has spread to over 100 countries. The way it is spreading is slightly to soon become the most dominant COVID19 strain globally. Among all variants of concern, delta spreads most rapidly: Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia pic.twitter.com/tcWuHNoIVx
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2021
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, World Health Organization's (WHO) South-East Asia regional director, said that the Delta variant of coronavirus has spread to over 100 countries. She added that it is highly dangerous and continues to mutate.
The WHO warning came as the South East Asian region finds itself in the grip of a third wave.
Indonesia, the fourth-largest populated country in the world, is badly affected as it witnesses a steady rise in infection rates. The healthcare situation is becoming grim with hospitals running out of oxygen and overcrowding in hospitals.
Indonesia saw a major jump in infections in May, which had relied heavily on the China-made Sinovac vaccine. The country is now reporting the deaths of its medical professionals, including those who had taken both the doses of the vaccine. Now the archipelago-nation is toying with the idea of giving a third booster shot with the US-donated Moderna vaccine.
Read more: WHO moves proposal for phase 2 study into origins of Coronavirus in China
Read More: 114 doctors die in Indonesia in 1st fortnight of July as China-made vaccine fails to work
Neighbouring Thailand reported a new record of 11,784 new cases and 81 deaths. The government immediately strengthened curbs on public transport, introduced night-time curfew and closed down malls in additional provinces.
Malaysia too is battling record highs with 10,710 new infections with the highest single-day record of 153 deaths.
Country down under Australia expanded its lockdowns as the Delta variant continues to spread to newer areas. The country has introduced tough social distancing measures, imposed lockdowns and resorted to contact tracing to check the infection. Till date, it has recorded around 32,000 coronavirus cases and 915 deaths.
