Durian. From two confirmed cases of new coronavirus, or covid-19, Indonesian government hopes that that they can use the samples to further research, hopefully to create vaccine.
The country’s Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto said that from first covid-19 cases in Indonesia, there are positive aspects.
“First, the virus was found. Secondly, I [we] have material for further research whether to make vaccine or whatever is it,” the minister said in Jakarta on Feb.2.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo earlier in the day announced there are two positive cases of covid-19 that infected a 64-year old woman and her 31-year old daughter from Depok, West Java after having contact with a Japanese citizen who resides on Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Japanese national was confirmed by Malaysian authority positive of having covid-19.
According to Putranto, general health condition of the two patients was good when he visited them in a Jakarta infectious disease hospital on Feb.2.
Following the World Health Organization (WHO) procedures of handling covid-19 patients, the two Indonesians will be examined in the next five days after they were confirmed positive of having the virus, Putranto said.
He said the government of Indonesia is ready to handle the fast-spread disease. The country has evacuated its citizens from Wuhan, China where the virus first was spotted, also from two cruises recently.
From case number 1 and 2, there are so far 48 individuals under medical surveillance, Director General of Disease Prevention and Control of Indonesian Health Ministry Anung Sugihantono said on Feb.2 in Jakarta. They are from first, second and third circles of contacts with the infected cases.
