They were tested as part of the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, Head of Riau Islands Provincial Administration's Health Office Tjetjep Yudiana said here Monday.
Among those who had direct contact with the Singaporean national identified by his initials 'A.A' who died on February 22, were doctors and paramedics at a hospital in Batam city as well as A.A.'s relatives and colleagues.
The local health authority had sent 33 swab samples to the Health Ministry laboratory for testing. "We are still waiting for the results," Yudiana said, adding that all of the people must also be quarantined for 14 days.
The health authority in Batam city has so far taken 44 swab samples since the COVID-19 outbreak which firstly struck the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019. Eleven of the 44 swab samples had tested 'negative'.
For the first time, Monday, the Indonesian Government has confirmed two positive COVID-19 cases.
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Two Indonesians who had tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) infection are residents of Depok City, West Java, which is considered a neighboring area of capital Jakarta, according to Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto.
The patients -- a 64-year-old mother and her 31-year-old daughter -- had contracted coronavirus from a Japanese national, who had visited Indonesia and was in close contact with them.
The Japanese national tested positive for COVID-19 infection while in Malaysia after leaving Indonesia.
The Indonesian Government has also repatriated 188 Indonesians employed as crew members of the World Dream liner, and 69 Indonesians employed as cabin crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
The World Dream cruise ship's crew members have been sent to Sebaru Kecil Island, Jakarta's Thousand Islands, for a 14-day quarantine while 69 others will have been shipped to the same island this week.
This deadly virus outbreak, which has infected 65 countries, including Indonesia, has killed at least 3,000 people, mostly in China, and infected over 88,400 people worldwide. (INE)
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Translator: Yuniati JN, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
