Third Covid-19 wave looms in Indonesia as Omicron virus variant spreads in country

People wearing protective masks to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) ride an elevator at a shopping mall decorated with lanterns, ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 29, 2022. - Reuters

JAKARTA,Jan 30 (AP): Indonesia is bracing for a third wave of Covid-19 infections as the highly transmissible omicron variant drives a surge in new cases, health authorities and experts have announced.

The country reported 11,588 new confirmed infections and 17 deaths on Saturday in the last 24-hour period. It was the highest daily caseload since August when Indonesia was struggling to contain a delta-driven wave.