VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A Chinese national who was reported to be positively infected with the coronavirus and had taken a trip to Bali, did not contract the virus here, the Head of Bali Provincial Health Agency, Ketut Suarjaya, said.

"Theoretically, the tourist was not exposed to the virus in Bali since he left on January 28. He tested positive for the COVID-19 on February 5, eight days after his departure from Bali. The incubation period of the virus is normally three to seven days," Suarjaya confirmed here on Thursday.

Even if the second option of 14 days as the longest incubation period is considered, there is no positive case of coronavirus in Bali.

"Even if he brought the virus here, and it was incubated, there should have been a case reported here. But this is the 16th day, and no one has been infected. Bali remains safe," he added.

However, the agency is currently working on monitoring the tracks of the Chinese man--whose initial name is Jin-- during his trip to Bali as "according to the airline manifest, several passengers were named Jin".

As many as 20 patients were observed at the Sanglah Hospital, who were earlier suspected of being infected by the virus which initially spread in Wuhan, China.

The observation, as well as a sample test, resulted in 18 patients testing negative for the coronavirus, while another two— a Chinese and an Indonesian—are still awaiting the laboratory test results.

In the worst case, the Bali provincial government has taken several measures such as isolating patients in at least three hospitals: RSUP Sanglah, RSUD Tabanan and RS Sanjiwani Gianyar, Suarjaya emphasized.

"The standard operating procedure has been completed; medical devices, as well as the staff, are all ready. Thus, there is no need to worry even if it happens. Yet, we are all hoping it does not," Suarjaya remarked. (ANTARA)