JAKARTA (XINHUA) - Indonesia's Covid-19 task force reported 47,899 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday (July 13), the highest daily rise since record began in March 2020, bringing total cases to more than 2.6 million.

It also reported 864 new Covid-19 deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to over 68,000.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Tuesday said Indonesia needs an additional 20,000 nurses and 3,000 doctors to deal with the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country's worst-hit provinces.

Nursing organisations and education institutions have about 19,000 nurses who are expected to be able to assist medical workers on the frontlines.

There are nurses who have finished education but have not had competency tests, Mr Sadikin said.

In addition, there are around 3,900 doctors who have just finished their internship programs, and administrative process will be accelerated so they can immediately work in hospitals.

Mr Sadikin said that 1,200 more beds has been added to the Wisma Atlet Covid-19 emergency hospital, 2,273 beds to three towers in Nagrak flats, 3,986 beds to Pasar Rumput flats, and 900 beds to Wisma Haji Pondok Gede, all in capital city Jakarta.

He added that the government will also initiate the third shots of the Covid-19 vaccines for medical workers this week, to keep them protected while working.