Children are dying of coronavirus at an alarming rate in Indonesia, as cases hit more than three times the world average.
There has been a surge in cases and deaths in the Asian country since the spread of the more contagious Delta variant arrived there in July.
More than 1,272 children have died in total according to figures from the Ministry of Health.
The biggest recent jump has been among those who haven't even reached their first birthday, head of the Indonesian Pediatric Society Dr Aman Bhakti Pulungan said.
According to their statistics published on Tuesday, August 24, deaths of under 18s account for around 1% of Indonesia's total Covid death toll, much higher than the global average of 0.3%.
The global average was reported by UNICEF and is based on available data from 79 countries.
Official figures show more than half a million Indonesian children have tested positive since the start of the pandemic.
Although there are fears the real figure could be much higher as testing among children is traditionally low.
The country began mass vaccinations in January 2021 and since June approval has been given for everyone over the age of 12 to be jabbed.
Experts believe the reason more children are dying is down to poverty.
Many children living in poverty are exposed to severe air pollution, multigenerational families living in cramped quarters, poor nutrition, cultural factors and lack of access to information, diagnosis and treatment.
They also tend to have more underlying conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and malnutrition that can multiply the risks of Covid.
Respiratory conditions like tuberculosis and asthma are also more prevalent and can make it more difficult for children to survive Covid, which can attack the lungs.
