The new cases all involve Timorese citizens who entered Timor-Leste by bus from Indonesia, testing positive to the virus after completing a mandatory 14-day quarantine at the Katuas Hotel in Dili.

The patients are isolated and receiving treatment at the Vera Cruz health clinic in Dili, Odete Viegas told reporters.

All people who have entered Timor-Leste by bus in the last month should carefully monitor their health for symptoms of the virus and self-isolate, Viegas said.

People infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, can transmit the infection one-to-three days before symptoms start to appear, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Preventions.

Coronavirus infections have a wide range of symptoms, including fever, coughing, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Globally, the fast-spreading virus has infected more than 1.85 million people. Some 114,000 people have died, while nearly 434,000 have recovered, according to the data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.