The Indonesian Health Ministry on March 21 confirmed 81 new cases positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and six more deaths, bringing the total number of infection cases to 450 and deaths to 38.

Dialogue partners of ASEAN are still committed to signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement by the end of 2020 as scheduled despite the spreading novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, according to the local media.

Singaporean Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on March 21 confirmed two persons died from the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the country due to complications.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, in his capacity as ASEAN 2020 Chair, delivered a speech at an ASEAN-EU ministerial teleconference on cooperation in coping with the epidemic on March 20.

Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan on March 20 declared a state of emergency in the Indonesian capital city for the next two week in a bid to curb the spread of the acute respiratory disease caused by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

The Indonesian government has prepared a few scenarios on how Indonesia's economic growth will end up as the COVID-19 pandemic began to hit the country’s economy, said Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati on March 20.

Singaporean Minister of Manpower Josephine Teo said on March 20 that job vacancies in the city-state are expected to fall further this year given global uncertainties and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign visitors who were treated for COVID-19 in Thailand will be able to claim back medical expenses from the country’s hospitals, the Thai Ministry of Finance confirmed on March 19.

The Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy affirmed on March 19 that the country’s newly-approved Master Plan for 2020-2030 will not include the construction of new hydropower dams along the Mekong River.

Thai officials and volunteers are working together to clean outdoor areas and other venues that still serve the public, such as transport terminals and airports, in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and restore public confidence.

Laos has not recorded any case testing positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumsay Kommasith said at a press conference on March 19 in Vientiane.

Fitch Solutions has revised down Indonesia’s economic growth forecast in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic places a heavy burden on its state budget and current account and limits Bank Indonesia’s monetary space to support the weakening rupiah.

Thailand recorded 60 new COVID-19 cases on March 19, the biggest daily jump so far, bringing the total in the country to 272.

Only 60 percent of Malaysians complied with the movement control order (MCO) that came into effect on March 18 to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak, Freemalaysiatoday reported.