Coronavirus: Indonesia sees 13 more cases, Manila raises alert level
JAKARTA: Indonesia said yesterday that the number of confirmed cases of people infected with the coronavirus had risen by 13, including 11 Indonesians and two foreigners, taking the total number of cases to 19 in the South-east Asian country.
Seven of the cases were also identified as imported cases, which means that the patients likely contracted the virus outside of Indonesia.
Mr Achmad Yurianto, a Health Ministry official, told reporters the ages of the newly confirmed cases ranged from 16 to 59, and some had interacted with the country's first two patients announced a week ago.
He said some of the patients were being treated in Jakarta and some were outside of Jakarta, but did not specify where and at which hospitals.
In the Philippines, the authorities said the virus is spreading locally and testing has revealed 20 cases since last month - half of them diagnosed yesterday.
The country has declared a "health emergency".
"The outbreak constitutes an emergency that threatens national security, which requires a whole-of-government approach," President Rodrigo Duterte said early yesterday.
The Health Ministry on Saturday raised its alert to "code red sub level 1", the second highest, after confirming the Philippines was seeing local transmission.
Well-wishers will also not be allowed to touch Mr Duterte under new measures announced yesterday by his security detail.
VULNERABLE AGE
At 74, Mr Duterte is in a vulnerable age group for the virus, which has proven particularly harmful in older people with pre-existing conditions.
"The PSG (Presidential Security Group) will implement a no-touch policy between the president and the public," group commander Jesus Durante said.
In Australia, two schools in Sydney closed yesterday after three students tested positive, taking Australia's tally of cases to more than 80.
Australia has seen a worrying increase in coronavirus cases in the past couple of days, though Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said the majority were travellers who caught the virus abroad. Three people have died so far in Australia. - REUTERS, JAKARTA POST, AFP, THE STRAITS TIMES
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