Of the positive cases, six patient have recovered fully and returned home, Integrated Crisis Management Centre’s (CIGC) spokesperson Dr Odete da Silva told reporters.

Timor-Leste reported its first medical worker infected with the virus on Friday, a nurse who had being working at an isolation centre as well as the Vera Cruz Hospital in Dili where they had been caring for patients with COVID-19.

Some 29 people known to have been in contact with the unidentified nurse have been tested for the fast-spreading virus, Dr Lobo said, with their test results expected early this week.

Timor-Leste also reported 422 people in quarantine, and 61 people in self-quarantine.

Globally, close to 196,000 people have died due to the pandemic, with 2.7 million infected globally, out of whom almost some 781,000 have recovered, according to the World Health Organisation.