InBrief

JAKARTA • Indonesia has added the highest number of Covid-19 cases in almost six months as the more transmissible Omicron variant spreads throughout the country.

The government reported 27,197 new infections on Thursday, the most since Aug 14. Daily deaths are at their highest since Oct 21 after 38 people succumbed to the disease.

Cases have picked up rapidly from less than a hundred in late December. President Joko Widodo has ordered ministers responsible for overseeing the pandemic response to immediately review measures put in place to curb cases, even as he urged the public to remain calm and follow health protocols.

Indonesia is refraining from imposing movement restrictions despite the surge in infections, though it has called on people to avoid public gatherings and reduced in-person classes at schools to half capacity.

BLOOMBERG

SEOUL • South Korea extended Covid-19 social distancing rules yesterday for two weeks as Omicron variant infections soar, including a 9pm curfew for restaurants and a six-person limit on private gatherings.

The restrictions were to end tomorrow, but Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the extension was needed to slow the spread of Omicron amid fears that the Lunar New Year holiday, which ended on Wednesday, may have fuelled infections.

New daily cases have trebled over the past two weeks, but the number of deaths and serious infections has remained relatively low in the highly vaccinated country.

South Korea reported a record daily increase of 27,443 new Covid-19 cases, with 24 new deaths, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said yesterday.

REUTERS

BERLIN • Germany's health experts are divided over whether the country is ready to ease Covid-19 restrictions as its neighbours start dialling back curbs.

Germany on Thursday reported a record 236,120 new daily cases, thanks to the more infectious Omicron variant, but some health experts say it is time to put in place a "freedom plan" for how curbs will be eased gradually.

Last week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined to give details about national plans to relax restrictions before the latest infection wave peaks, which is expected in mid-February.

But some German states, such as Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, announced easing of curbs earlier this week, a step that was criticised by some German health experts as premature.

REUTERS