Paramedics at the Jakarta-based Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital wear medical masks. ANTARA

Indonesian Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto said on Monday that two Indonesians who tested positive for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) remained in good condition, and have not displayed symptoms, such as fever and shortness of breath.

"I have observed them, and checked their condition. They are in good condition. They do not suffer fever and shortness of breath. Nothing. They eat and communicate well," he told journalists at the Jakarta-based Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The two COVID-19 patients are being treated in an isolated room at a different building within this infectious diseases hospital's complex area, he said.

According to Minister Putranto, the two Indonesians are residents of Depok City, West Java, a neighboring area of Jakarta.

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 citizen was confirmed positive for COVID-19 infection while in Malaysia, having left Indonesia.

The Indonesian Government has been putting in place precautionary measures since the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak that first struck the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019.

In addition to installing thermal scanners at the country's airports and seaports, and making preparations at hospitals across the archipelago, the Indonesian Government had also repatriated several hundreds of its citizens.

On Feb 2, 238 Indonesian nationals had been airlifted from Wuhan, China, to then be quarantined in Natuna District's area in Riau Islands Province. All of them were found to be healthy and sent back to their families.

The Indonesian Government has also repatriated 188 Indonesians employed as crew members of the cruise ship 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 are to be brought to the same island this week.

The deadly virus outbreak, which has infected 65 countries, including Indonesia, has killed at least 3,000 people -- most of whom are in China, and infected over 88,400 people worldwide. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian government has made necessary preparations at over 100 hospitals with the application of WTO-required service and facility standards throughout the nation to handle coronavirus infection cases, according to President Joko WIdodo (Jokowi).

The hospitals are equipped with isolation rooms, with good isolation standard, the President remarked while announcing the first case of coronavirus, or COVID-19, in the country on Monday.

He noted that the Indonesian government had devices of international standard to handle people contracting the coronavirus infection.

"We have also made adequate preparations for the reagent. We have a joint team that we remain tight-lipped about. The joint team comprises the Indonesian military/police personnel and civilians to handle coronavirus cases," he noted.

In addition, the government has standard operating procedures aligned with the international standard, he remarked.

"We also have budget funding that will be prioritized to handle it (coronavirus). If we are not serious about handling it, it will be highly dangerous, and we should remain vigilant and exercise caution," he stated.

The government denied that it concealed coronavirus cases in the country.

The president confirmed that the first case of COVID-19 had emerged in Indonesia, with two Indonesian nationals -- a 64-year-old mother and her 31-year-old daughter -- testing positive for the infection.

"Last week, we had received a report that a Japanese resident had travelled to Indonesia and then headed to Malaysia, and there he tested positive for coronavirus. Our team had tracked this person's activities when he was here," Jokowi stated in the company of Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto and State Secretary Minister Pratikno.

"We found that the Japanese was in contact with two Indonesians, who had later tested positive for the infection caused by the virus," he revealed. (ANTARA)

Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) confirmed, Monday, that the first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) had emerged in Indonesia, with two Indonesian nationals -- a 64-year-old mother and her 31-year-old daughter -- testing positive for the infection. Jokowi stated in the company of Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto and State Secretary Minister Pratikno that the two Indonesian nationals were in contact with a Japanese resident who traveled to Indonesia and headed to Malaysia.

"Last week, we had received a report that a Japanese resident had travelled to Indonesia and then headed to Malaysia, and there he tested positive for coronavirus. Our team had tracked this person's activities when he was here. We found that the Japanese was in contact with two Indonesians, a 64-year-old mother and her 31-year-old daughter. They were examined by our team. They were sick. And this morning I received a report from the Minister of Health that the mother and her daughter are positive for the infection caused by the virus," Jokowi said.

However, Jokowi affirmed that his government had already made necessary preparations for the outbreak since the start. Jokowi also revealed that the government had set up a joint team comprising of military, police, and civilian members to manage the outbreak. Moreover, the standard operation is aligned with international standard and a special budget that is prioritized for this matter. (VOI/DIPTA/ANTARA/AHM)

President Trump signed a deal with the Taliban Saturday (29/2) aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan. He said 5,000 US troops would leave Afghanistan by May and he would meet Taliban leaders in the near future, without specifying where. The US and Nato allies have agreed to withdraw all troops within 14 months if the militants uphold the historic deal. Talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are due to follow. Under the agreement, the militants also agreed not to allow al-Qaeda or any other extremist group to operate in the areas they control. (bbc)