Officials in many Southeast Asian countries are tightening restrictions and hope targeted blockades will prevent a surge in infections and deaths that began in May.

Indonesia, the most populous country and largest epidemic region in Southeast Asia, on July 9 recorded more than 38,000 cases of infection in the past 24 hours, nearly 6 times more than a month ago.

Indonesian authorities on July 9 imposed restrictions on 15 new areas nationwide in an effort to prevent a crisis from happening on the island of Java, where hospitals are being pushed to the limit and oxygen supplies are running out.

Malaysia reported an additional 9,180 cases, a record increase in 24 hours since Covid-19 appeared in the country.

Indonesian people wearing masks wait at a Covid-19 vaccination site in Tangerang city on June 30.

Thailand recorded an additional 9,276 cases of infection, forcing authorities to tighten restrictions in the capital Bangkok and 9 other provinces, including a night curfew, restrictions on travel and mass gatherings, and the closure of many establishments.

Myanmar recorded a record high number of new infections and deaths, 4,320 and 63 respectively. Cambodia announced an additional 988 infections and 30 deaths, the highest in the past 9 days.

Health experts say low testing rates in the most populous countries, Indonesia and the Philippines, may partly hide the extent of the outbreak.

Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, said Southeast Asia is struggling to deal with the Indian-origin Delta variant, even `paying the price for contradictions in strategy, messaging and practice.`

`In handling the pandemic on a larger scale, vaccines are not the only solution,` Budiman said.

Vaccination rates in Southeast Asia remain low.

Meanwhile, Singaporean officials are a rare bright spot in the region as they are about to relax restrictions and are expected to complete vaccination of half of the population by the end of July.

Alex Cook, an expert at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, said `global efforts in equitable vaccine deployment need to be redoubled to ensure people at high risk of disease in