South-east Asia needs external help to handle COVID-19
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Subject COVID-19 situation in South-east Asia. Significance South-east Asia has less than 12,000 active cases of COVID-19 and less than 600 deaths have been recorded from the disease in the region. These numbers appear relatively small, but they probably reflect a lack of testing in most of the region’s countries. Many South-east Asian governments are bracing for intensifying outbreaks. Impacts Some of South-east Asia’s state-owned enterprises face insolvency. The region’s supply chains and labour flows will likely remain paralysed for months. Emergency powers could remain in place in certain South-east Asian countries for over a year and be exploited by authoritarian governments.