Indonesia confirms first two cases of coronavirus, global toll surpasses 88,000

Indonesia on March 2 confirmed its initial cases of coronavirus after two of its citizens tested positive for the virus, country’s President Joko Widodo said while talking to international media. Widodo added that both the patients contracted coronavirus from a Japanese national. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has killed over 3,000 people and infected nearly 88,000 people across the globe with the majority in mainland China, international media reported. 

Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Thailand Confirms A New Case Bringing Total To 43

Widodo, while addressing reporters at his Presidential Palace on March 2 said that a 64-year-old woman and her 31-year-old daughter were tested positive after being in contact with a Japanese national. The Japanese who lived in Malaysia were tested positive after returning from a trip to Indonesia. According to reports, the Indonesian medical team uncovered the cases after they traced the moment of the Japanese visitor.

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Talking further about the infected duo, the President said that several checks revealed that both of them were in a sick state. He added that it was today morning that he got the report that a mother and daughter have beeen tested positive for the coronavirus. According to reports, both the patients are admitted in Jakarta’s Sulianti Saroso infectious diseases hospital.

Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Chinese President Xi Jinping Postpones Japan Visit

Thailand confirms new cases 

Meanwhile, neighbouring Thailand has announced one new coronavirus case on March 2. This brings the total number of cases in the country to 43 since the month of January. According to reports, the newest case is that of a 22-year old Thai woman that worked as a tourist assistant with another Thai patient, a driver for foreign tourists.

According to reports, the director-general of the Disease Control Department, Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, claimed that authorities had already located the woman for testing and that she had already been admitted to the hospital. As per reports, Dr Wattanayingcharoenchai explained that COVID-19 cases within Thailand were classified into two categories, the first being individuals that had contracted the virus in other countries and the second category comprising of individuals that contracted the virus locally, from people inside Thailand. This category includes Chinese as well.