MANILA, Philippines – Indonesia leads the Southeast Asian countries in COVID-19 cases as it saw a record 1,624 new cases on July 2, bringing the national total to 59,394. The death toll increased by 53 to 2,987.
The Philippines once topped the region but eventually dropped to third in July.
The severity of the health crisis was such that Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini knelt down on the ground and broke into tears as she held a meeting with doctors and hospital directors in Surabaya amid the spike of COVID-19 cases in East Java’s capital city, which has become Indonesia’s epicenter of the outbreak.
Risma, as the mayor is affectionately known, was holding a meeting with the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) and local authorities to discuss COVID-19 management at the Surabaya City Hall on Monday.
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