Depok Mayor Warns Against Panic Amid News of 1st Coronavirus Case

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Following the announcement of two positive COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Depok, Mayor Mohammad Idris warned Depok residents to not panic while maintaining good personal hygiene. 

“What’s important is that people should not panic. Wash your hands clean, don’t smoke, and get enough sleep,” said Idris at the Depok City Hall on Monday, March 2. 

In response to the confirmed recent Wuhan coronavirus case in Depok affecting two members of the same family, the Mayor explained that he was first informed about it by the Mitra Keluarga Hospital that briefed him about hospital patients with the flu after welcoming guests from Japan and Malaysia. 

He said that the patient admitted herself to the hospital after increasing fears of contracting the virus. “The hospital management has yet to follow-up on the situation with me since the initial report,” said the mayor. 

Reports suggest that the two coronavirus patients have been transferred to another hospital. “We are attempting to obtain information from their neighbors,” he said. “The problem is that we have not received information from their family.”

Indonesian Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto revealed that the country’s first two COVID-19 coronavirus patients were infected by their Japanese national dance partner who was visiting Indonesia at the time of their interaction. 

ADE RIDWAN YANDWIPUTRA