No longer 'hidden victims', many children dying as infections surge across Indonesia

JAKARTA • Hundreds of children in Indonesia have died from Covid-19 in recent weeks, a mortality rate greater than any other country, challenging the idea that children face minimal risk from the virus.

The deaths, more than 100 a week this month, come as Indonesia confronts its biggest surge in new cases - and as leaders face criticism that they have been unprepared and slow to act.

"Our numbers are the highest in the world," the head of the Indonesian Paediatric Society, Dr Aman Bhakti Pulungan, said of the death rate. "Why are we not giving the best for our children?"

The jump in child deaths coincides with the surge of the Delta variant which has swept through South-east Asia, causing record outbreaks also in Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Indonesia, the world's fourth-most populous nation, this month overtook India in daily cases, becoming the new epicentre of the pandemic. The government reported 28,228 new infections and 1,487 deaths yesterday.

Based on reports from paediatricians, children now make up 12.5 per cent of the country's confirmed cases, an increase over previous months, said Dr Aman. More than 150 children died during the week of July 12 alone, with half of recent deaths involving those younger than five.

Overall, Indonesia has reported more than 3.19 million cases and 84,766 deaths, but health experts say the actual figures are many times higher because testing has been very limited.

"The government has never taken this pandemic seriously from the beginning," said Dr Alexander Raymond Arifianto, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. "The voice of actual experts in how to best handle the pandemic is simply not being heard."

More than 800 children in Indonesia younger than 18 have died from the virus, Dr Aman said, but the majority have occurred in the past month.

Health experts said various factors contributed to the high number of deaths among children. Some could be vulnerable to the virus because of underlying health conditions such as malnutrition, obesity, diabetes and heart disease, doctors said.

The low vaccination rate is another factor. Just 16 per cent of Indonesians have received one dose and, like other countries, Indonesia does not vaccinate children under 12. It only recently began vaccinating those aged 12 to 18.

Proportion of Indonesia's confirmed Covid-19 cases that are children.

Number of children who died in the country from Covid-19 in the week of July 12.

Of recent child deaths that involve children younger than five years old.

At the same time, many hospitals have been stretched beyond their limit by the recent surge in cases, with patients waiting in hallways and overflow tents for a bed. Few hospitals are set up to care for children with Covid-19.

"Until now, children have been the hidden victims of this pandemic," said Dr Yasir Arafat, health adviser to the non-profit group Save the Children. "Not any more... we're also seeing an alarming rise in children missing out on routine vaccinations and nutrition critical for their survival, which should ring major alarm bells."

Dr Aman said getting more people to comply with health protocols would be a good start in protecting children.

"It all goes back to the adults," he said. "The adults are the stubborn ones. They refuse to wear a mask. They bring their children to crowded places."

NYTIMES