President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo requested that the Indonesian people remain calm and to respect the COVID-19 patients’ privacy following his announcement of the first two confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease. 

“The fact is that most of the patients - including those in China, Japan, Italy and Iran - have been able to recover from the disease. So we don’t have to fret but we should remain vigilant,” Jokowi said on Tuesday.

Jokowi also asked that his ministers and the hospitals involved in treating the two patients avoid disclosing the patients’ private information.

“I instructed the ministers to remind the hospitals and government officials to avoid disrupting their privacy. We should respect their rights,” he said.

He added that the press should also respect the patients’ privacy so that they could focus on recovery without experiencing psychological pressure. 

Jokowi had previously announced that two residents of Depok, West Java tested positive for COVID-19, a 64-year-old woman and her 31-year-old daughter.

Activists and lawmakers have called for more considerate reporting on the country’s first confirmed coronavirus cases following the unprecedented disclosure of the patients’ personal information on social media platforms on Monday. (dpk) 

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