Indonesia's coronavirus cases jump to 117

Jakarta (ANTARA) -  Indonesia on Sunday reported 21 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), binging the nationwide total number of infections to 117.

"Today we have 21 new cases, comprising 19 in Jakarta and two in Central Java. So, in total, there are 117 (cases). In fact this is an extension of previous case tracing," Achmad Yurianto, the government' spokesman on COVID-19, concurrently Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Health Ministry, said here on Sunday.

Currently, seven coronavirus patients were recovering, he added.

On Saturday (14/3), there were 96 people testing for COVID-19 in Indonesia with the death toll of 5 people and eight people recovered. They spread in Jakarta, Tangerang, Bandung, Solo, Yogyakarta, Bali, Manado, and Pontianak.

Yurianto urged the public to not come to the public places if not necessary and apply social distancing measures.

But Yurianto said it would be possible that the virus coverage would be expanding to other areas.

He informed that Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi who has tested positive for COVID-19, is recovering.