DÍLI, August 20, 2020 (TATOLI) –Timor-Leste has recorded another positive case of COVID-19, the patient is a Timorese citizen from Indonesia.
“We have detected a new case of COVID19, this new case was detected in a 25-year-old Timorese citizen from Denpasar [Bali, Indonesia], who arrived in Timor-Leste on August 5, with a Citilink flight chartered by the Government, through SEFOPE,” Minister of Health Maria Odete Belo said.
Ms. Belo also stated that the patient was transferred by a team from the Ministry of Health to an isolation centre in Vera Cruz, Dili after the results were found.
“The Timorese citizen with COVID-19 was staying in mandatory quarantine at a Hotel in Farol, along with nine other people. One has tested positive whilst the other nine presented negative results for COVID-19,” she said.
The patient travelled from Bali with Citilink Airlines, the flight also transported Timorese workers from South Korea and students from the United States of America and Portugal.
The minister also recalled that after arriving at The Airport Nicolau Lobato, these citizens had to stay in mandatory confinement.
“The Ministry of Health will now double-check Timorese citizens who travelled with the patient on the same flight and they will be required to do an additional of 14 days of quarantine,” she said.
She added that the MS team keeps track of the citizens who returned to the country on the same flight and asked them to stay isolated.
Timor-Leste announced on Tuesday that it was without active cases of COVID-19 after the Indonesian patient recovered and left the isolation centre of Vera Cruz, Dili. A new infection has been reported today, bringing to 26 the number of cases of the new coronavirus in the country.
Journalist: Felicidade Ximenes
Editor: Agapito dos Santos/Nick Kettle
Translation: Nelia Borges
