New COVID-19 cases surge in Southeast Asian nations

Indonesia reported a new record of 38,391 coronavirus infections on July 8 while the figures in Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines also increased significantly.

A health worker gives a shot of COVID-19 vaccine to a person in South Tangerang, Indonesia, on June 14, 2021

With the cases, Indonesia now ranks third in the world in the number of COVID-19 infections in a single day.

 Also on July 8, the nation logged 852 fatalities, its second-highest daily death toll. To date, its national tally and death toll have hit over 2.4 million and 63,760, respectively.

On the same day, the Malaysian Health Ministry reported 8,868 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 808,658.

It also confirmed 135 new deaths, the highest number of daily fatalities since the pandemic broke out.

Meanwhile, the number of new cases in Cambodia on July 8 was 954, including 136 imported infections. The nation has so far posted 58,057 COVID-19 case with 50,020 recoveries and 825 deaths.

On the day, the Philippines said 5,484 new cases and 91 deaths had brought its national count and death toll to 1,455,585 and 25,650, while a record of 75 fatalities and 7,058 new infections were reported in Thailand.

Thailand's health ministry said on July 8 that it had proposed new travel curbs and tighter restrictions in high-risk areas to contain COVID-19 cases./.

VNA