The Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia on March 4 recommended Vietnamese citizens in this country to actively protect themselves and their families from the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Illustrative image (Photo: AFP)

Vietnamese citizens were advised to avoid attending crowded activities. If the participation is compulsory, they were suggested to properly use face masks and hand sanitisers, and avoiding having close contact with those having symptoms of respiratory diseases.

The embassy also asked Vietnamese citizens to regularly check and follow instructions of the host authorities, as well as not to popularise unverified information about COVID-19 on social media.

If they show COVID-19 infection symptoms, they should go to designated medical establishments for timely check-ups and treatment, the embassy said.

Vietnamese citizens could call the embassy’s citizen protection hotline ( 62) 8111.6025 or Vietnam’s citizen protection hotline ( 84)981 84 84 84.

On March 2, Indonesian authorities reported the two first COVID-19 infection cases in the country. The patients, including a 64 year-old woman and her 31-year-old daughter in Depok city, were tested positive for the virus after having close contact with a Japanese patient.