Indonesia posts record daily COVID-19 cases as variant fear grows

Total surpasses 2 million in country struggling to contain second wave

Municipal workers carry the coffin of a COVID-19 victim at a burial area in Jakarta on June 21. © Reuters

SHOTARO TANI, Nikkei staff writer

June 21, 2021 20:48 JST

JAKARTA -- Indonesia posted a record 14,536 new daily confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday, its highest since the pandemic started, with cumulative cases surpassing the 2 million mark.

The grim milestone comes as Indonesia struggles to contain the second wave of the pandemic, with hospitals becoming overloaded amid worries that the more virulent delta variant, which originated in India, might be spreading silently.