"There are people at higher risk for who this virus might be a devastating diagnosis, so I urge all of you to be extremely careful; wash your hands, keep 1.5 meters distance from others, go in quarantine; just do everything you can to stop the virus from spreading," he said.

"Together we can fight this virus and avert a crisis at our hospitals. Please take care of each other, keep your distance, and stay healthy!

"Please visit your country's Center for Disease Control's website, and follow the regulations for staying safe and protecting not just yourselves, but our entire community, and especially those at risk like the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions."

Last week, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the first celebrities to announce they had tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Australia. British actor Idris Elba has also confirmed that he had the virus and was in self-isolation.