A one-year-old baby in Bali has been declared free from a possible coronavirus infection, the latest of dozens of patients who had undergone medical observation on the island following exhibition of symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.
The baby was among 32 who were recently observed in Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar. According to the Bali Health Agency, the baby exhibited respiratory problems after a recent trip to Singapore.
“On Saturday the baby was declared negative [for COVID-19],” Bali Health Agency Head I Ketut Suarjaya told reporters today, as quoted by Kumparan.
Previously, 30 of the 32 patients tested negative for the coronavirus on Wednesday. The remaining two to undergo further observations were the baby and a female tourist from China, who checked herself in to hospital with complaints of fever and diarrhea. The tourist later tested negative for the coronavirus as well, with health officials saying her symptoms were the result of her long travels throughout Indonesia, which included a stop in Papua.
COVID-19 has killed more than 1,776 people and infected over 71,300 as of this morning. The disease has so far affected at least 27 other countries around the world, including Indonesia’s neighbors Singapore and Malaysia.
Indonesia has yet to officially confirm a single COVID-19 case in the country, which, according to Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto, is attributable to the power of prayer.
Last week, reports emerged that a Chinese coronavirus patient visited Bali in late January, but the Health Ministry has played down fears in the country by deducing that he was likely infected in China.
Nevertheless, experts say that the coronavirus scare may inflict a huge loss to Bali’s tourism-fueled economy to the tune of IDR1 trillion (US$73 million) per month. Bali has also seen a sharp decline in tourist arrivals this month.
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