COVID-19 pandemic continues worsening in Thailand, Indonesia

People queue for free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests at a mass testing station in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: Reuters)

Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand on July 16 reported a daily record of 9,692 COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total number to 381,907 since the start of the pandemic, as authorities are struggling to tackle the country's biggest wave of infections so far.

The Southeast Asian country also reported 67 more COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 3,099.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan said the Indonesian Government was preparing for worst case scenarios should the country see a further surge in confirmed COVID-19 infections up to 100,000 cases per day.

Some of the countermeasures deployed by the government are to send fresh graduate doctors and nurses to treat COVID-19 patients and increase the number of COVID-19 vaccine to 1 million doses per day.

Facing the complicated epidemic situation, the Indonesian Government has called for support from six countries, including Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, Australia and the United States. Indonesia also requested support from the COVAX Facility.

Indonesia reported 56,757 new COVID-19 cases on July 15 - the world's highest rise in a single day, bringing to the country's tally to 2.7 million./.

VNA