The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection said two more cases of infection with the novel coronavirus have been confirmed by lab tests in a man and a woman, both aged 60, who recently returned from Italy, IPN reports.

Minister Viorica Dumbrăveanu told a news conference that the two persons form part of the ten adults who this morning were reported as being suspected of catching COVID-19. Doctors are still waiting for the results of five tests on samples taken from adults and two tests on samples taken from children. The two persons with COVID-19 were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital “Toma Ciorbă” and their state of health is medium grave.

According to the minister, the man is from a district situated in southern Moldova. On March 1, he returned from Italy after staying there for three weeks. On March 5, he felt sick and resorted to self-medication, but his state of health worsened and he was taken to the hospital by an ambulance.

The infected woman is from Chisinau. She stayed at a friend in Italy for ten days and returned home on February 26. On March 1, she felt ill and went to see a doctor. She was prescribed medicines, but on March 9 was hospitalized.

Director of the National Public Health Agency Nicolae Furtună said the two persons suffer also from other diseases, including hypertension. The elderly persons with co-morbidities are vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.

The health authorities call on the population who returned from countries affected by the coronavirus to remain at home for 14 days and to contact the family doctor by phone, if necessary, and not to go to health facilities. In case of health problems, one should call 112.