Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia reported 2,307 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Friday to take the country's total to 135,123, amid a worrying trend in West Java that saw a surge in cases.

West Java, which has the biggest population of more than 40 million people, reported 361 new cases, its highest single-day rise since a dramatic 962 cases on July 9.

However, the record-breaking daily count at that time was triggered by mass infections of hundreds of cadets at a military academy in Bandung and the isolated cases were put together for a later disclosure on the same day, resulting in an unusually high number.

West Java has a relatively small number of cases in proportion to its population size, totaling 8,275 and ranking fifth among provinces with the most cases, but it has recorded three-digit daily figure in the last three days.

Surging cases in the most populous province would add complication to the government, already struggling with the uncontrolled transmissions in Jakarta and East Java and a spike in other hotspots like Central Java, South Sulawesi and North Sumatra.

West Java has accumulated more than 1,700 cases since August 1, higher than the number in South Sulawesi and North Sumatra and close to Central Java's 1,800 cases in the same period.

Jakarta remains the biggest contributor to the national tally, adding 538 new cases for a total of 28,299, including 974 deaths.

Governor Anies Baswedan decided on Thursday to extend social restrictions for another two weeks due to resurgence in cases.

East Java came second with 418 cases, taking its total to 26,979. But it again reported the highest daily death toll, with 14 more Covid-19 deaths to bring the total number of fatalities to 1,967.

Central Java was the last to report a three-digit figure with 192 new cases for a total of 11,340 cases, including 774 deaths.

South Sulawesi, which ranks fourth with 10,793 cases, registered only 37 cases on Friday, its lowest daily figure in more than a month. It's the sixth day in a row that the province had two-digit daily figure.

New cases were slowing down in North Sumatra but it has recorded nearly 1,500 cases since the start of the month to outpace South Sulawesi. It now has a total of 5,427 cases.

The number of cured or discharged Covid-19 patients soared by 2,060 countrywide for a total of 89,618, or 66 percent of the total cases.

The national death toll in the outbreak stood at 6,021, an increase by 53 from a day earlier.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-adds-2300-coronavirus-cases-as-west-java-rings-the-alarm