Not every flu patient is infected with coronavirus, says Dr Mohamed Ali, the lead pulmonologist at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

Speaking at a news conference held at the President's office regarding the deadly novel coronavirus taking the world by storm, the doctor stated that the infection and the flu have almost matching symptoms, hence, not every patient with flu symptoms is guaranteed to be infected. Moreover, the doctor explained that to be classified as a suspected case of coronavirus, individuals with flu symptoms must have traveled to China, where the outbreak originated from.

As such, the doctor appealed for the use of tissues or covering the mouth while coughing, stressing that the tissue must be disposed of immediately after use. Next, he assured that washing hands regularly with soap will be an effective measure against the virus.

While a suspected case of the coronavirus has been found in the Maldives, direct flights from China have been temporarily halted and the ministry of Foreign Affairs have requested Maldivians travelling abroad to register with the Maldives' embassy at their destination.

The novel coronavirus outbreak that originated from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China has lead to a global public health emergency with nearly 12,000 confirmed cases and over 200 fatalities.