Indonesia reported a record number of Covid-19 deaths yesterday as the world's fourth-most populous country decides whether to extend a partial lockdown that is due to end today.
A total of 1,338 Covid-19 patients died in the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 74,920 since the pandemic began. New infections totalled 34,257 yesterday, the lowest in the past two weeks.
The number of coronavirus tests yesterday was 160,000, lower than the more than 200,000 daily average. The country has a total of 2.91 million cases.
The record daily death toll comes as the country - which has the world's largest Muslim population - today celebrates Hari Raya Haji, when Muslims gather for the annual distribution of meat from sacrificial cows and sheep to the poor and needy.
For this year's Hari Raya Haji, the government has banned congregational prayers in cities and regencies under the partial lockdown, which covers most parts of Java and Bali, and 15 other locations elsewhere in the country.
The meat should not be handed over at the slaughter sites, but must be delivered to recipients' homes to prevent queues from forming, according to new government guidelines.
Under the emergency curbs, which began on July 3 and are due to end today, grocery stores and supermarkets in Java and Bali, which together account for two-thirds of Covid-19 cases nationwide, are to limit customers to half their capacity and close by 8pm.
Public areas, such as shopping malls, parks and places of worship, have been ordered to close, and eateries can provide only takeaway service or deliveries.
The partial lockdown was expanded to 15 regencies and cities outside Java and Bali on July 12.
Java is Indonesia's most populous island, with 151.6 million people, or 56.1 per cent of the country's 270 million population, while Bali has 4.3 million people.
The partial lockdown has devastated the livelihoods of informal and daily-wage workers, as well as small-time traders.
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1,338 Number of Covid-19 patients who died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 74,920 since the pandemic began.
34,257 Number of new infections yesterday, the lowest in the past two weeks.
Protests against the lockdowns have emerged in several cities.
On July 15, hundreds of high school students staged a rally on a main street in Pasuruan, East Java, to protest against the partial lockdown.
Some of the students hurled stones at police officers who tried to disperse them. Others vandalised a police station. Many of the students detained by police after the rally said they had gathered in response to an invitation on social media to hold a rally.
Meanwhile, in Cirebon, West Java, university students yesterday cancelled a planned street rally, agreeing to voice their concerns and aspirations via a virtual dialogue instead.
