Jakarta (ANTARA) - Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Thursday (Nov 21, 2019). (ANTARA/Agus Salim)
To this end, Indonesians should steer clear from several places and activities that have the potential to spread the disease, the Health Ministry noted in a press statement on Saturday.
"The result of a study shows that the disease is not caused by the influenza virus and is not an ordinary respiratory disease. All patients in Wuhan have received medical services. We learnt that they have been isolated, and the disease is being traced or investigated to unearth its cause," he stated.
According to information, the number of patients ailing from severe peumonia has more than doubled to 57, from 27 earlier, he noted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has not restricted travel to China.
However, the health minister has called on Indonesian citizens to get accustomed to leading a healthy life by washing hands before eating, wearing masks to prevent the virus from spreading to other people, and eating a nutritionally balanced diet.
He advised Indonesians travelling to China to avoid visiting fish markets or live animal markets.
If during the course of their travel, they have come in contact with other people symptomatic with fever or cough and begin exhibiting similar symptoms, then they should immediately head to the nearby health facility, he added.
Related news: Ministry watchful for mysterious pneumonia infection in Indonesia
Related news: Health ministry confirms 110,921 dengue fever cases until Oct 2019
EDITED BY INE