Jakarta/Sydney | Indonesia's resource and digital sectors are stumping up cash to buy protective equipment for health workers caring for COVID-19 patients, as the national government struggles to cope with the rapidly escalating crisis.

As of Thursday, Indonesia's COVID-19 fatality rate of 7.4 per cent was among the highest in the world, with the nation recording 59 deaths from 790 confirmed cases. By comparison, nearby Malaysia, with 1796 cases, has a fatality rate of 1.1 per cent with 20 dead. Australia's 0.45 per cent fatality rate remains one of the world's lowest.