Indonesia's death toll from last week's massive floods and mudslides climbed to 893 as of Friday noon, with 521 people still missing, the country's disaster agency said, as rescue teams raced to reach isolated communities.
Emergency crews from across the country have been deployed to the worst-hit areas, where temporary shelters are filling with displaced families and relief supplies are gradually arriving.
In Palembayan, Agam regency in West Sumatra, around 1,300 evacuees have been placed in several makeshift aid posts. Food distribution began on the second day after the disaster.
"Rice, flour, eggs, sugar, rice and cooking oil - these are what we need most. We don't have any clean water here, which is a tough issue for us," said an aid receiver named Yurnalis.
Road access has been partially restored in parts of North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh, though power and communications remain disrupted. Joint rescue teams continue clearing mud and debris while searching for the missing.
The heavy rain, starting Nov. 23, caused rivers to swell in many parts of the country, and landslides to occur in several areas, blocking transportation, disrupting power and communication, and leaving many remote villages temporarily out of contact.
Death toll nears 900 in Indonesia while aid flows to stranded survivors
Influenza activity in China has declined for four consecutive weeks, with recent tests showing common pathogens and no evidence of new infectious diseases, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Tuesday.
At its first press briefing of 2026, the commission reported that flu activity nationwide remains moderate at the moment.
According to Xin Li, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, respiratory samples collected from sentinel hospitals indicated that the influenza virus was the most common pathogen, accounting for 27.4 percent of cases, followed by respiratory syncytial virus at 8.8 percent and rhinovirus at 5.7 percent.
"Influenza activity in China has declined for four consecutive weeks and remains at a moderate level overall. Analysis of nationwide fever clinic consultations, influenza-like illness cases at sentinel hospitals, and multi-pathogen testing shows that all detected pathogens are known common ones, with no evidence of unknown pathogens or new infectious diseases," Xin told the press.
Data from sentinel hospitals indicated flu activity was falling across provincial-level regions, while reports of school outbreaks dropped for five consecutive weeks. Laboratory tests showed that 97.3 percent of positive influenza samples were H3N2 subtype viruses.
China flu activity declines for fourth week, no new pathogens detected: official
