"Please be patient. The hospital's president director will provide valid and complete information to the journalists on Monday," Hasan Sadikin Hospital's spokesperson, Reny Meisuburriyani, informed ANTARA in Bandung on Sunday evening.
Meisuburriyani suggested that the working journalists await the official press conference on the issue to fight the spread of hoaxes. She also suggested all people to stay healthy by leading a healthy and hygienic lifestyle.
As of Sunday, coronavirus had claimed the lives of 56 people in China and several other countries, including the United States and Canada, that have announced their confirmed cases.
However, none of the confirmed cases were found in Indonesia. Apart from this reality, since the issuance of an official statement by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the outbreak of coronavirus in China, the Indonesian government has remained on alert.
As part of its precautionary measures, thermal scanners have been installed at various airports around the archipelago for screening international passengers. The thermal scanners are aimed at detecting any foreign tourists symptomatic with this novel coronavirus.
Several hospitals in Indonesia's big cities have also made necessary preparations to handle those with suspected coronavirus symptoms.
In Jakarta, the Sulianti Saroso Hospital for Infectious Diseases in North Jakarta had also received a patient, with symptoms suspected to be of coronavirus.
Director of the hospital's Medical and Health Care Division Diany Kusumawardhani noted in her statement on Jan 24 that the patient was undergoing treatment in an isolated room, and the condition has stabilized.
A team of doctors had conducted a series of medical examinations on the patient, she remarked, adding that they were awaiting the results of examinations from the Research and Health Development Agency (Litbangkes).
As of Friday (Jan 24), the patient's condition did not deteriorate, and the doctors had yet to declare whether the patient had contracted the novel coronavirus.
She could not divulge details of the patient's identity. She added that the sole information pertaining to the patient was that of being an Indonesian citizen, who had just returned from China.
Chinese authorities declared the first case of coronavirus after a person with pneumonia was hospitalized in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, according to an official statement of the WHO.
Over the past week, people, with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan, had been identified at international airports.
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Translator: Ajat S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
