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Bali, famous for its tourist beaches and temples, along with the
main island of Java and 15 other regions are under tight
coronavirus restrictions, due to expire on Sunday. The
government is debating whether to extend them or not.
"We've had an oxygen shortage since July 14 and it's getting
critical by the day because of a surge in new cases," Ketut
Suarjaya, the head of Bali's health agency, said as quoted by
Antara state news agency as saying on Friday.
"There's an oxygen crisis in Bali."
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, has had
more than 3 million coronavirus infections and 80,598 deaths
according to official data. The spread, driven by the Delta
variant, has shown no sign of slowing.
Research organisation Our World in Data said the country had a
death rate three times higher than the global average.
The debate over coronavirus restrictions has pitted health
experts, who say it is premature to ease curbs during the surge
of infections, against employer groups that have warned of mass
layoffs unless the curbs are relaxed.
Suarjaya said patients in Bali needed 113.3 tonnes of oxygen on
Thursday, while hospitals only had 40.5 tonnes. He was not
immediately available for comment on Saturday.
Oxygen shortages have also been seen on Java. The government has
begun to import oxygen supplies from countries such as the
United States and China.
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Bernadette Christina; Editing
by Robert Birsel)
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