Angkasa Pura Prevents Corona Virus From Entering Indonesia

Illustration of plane arrival. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) and the Port Health Office (KKP) are preventing the spread of the corona virus from entering Indonesia.

VP of Corporate Communications of PT Angkasa Pura II Yado Yarismano said, at PT Angkasa Pura II airports, supervision was increased on passengers on international routes who had just arrived, especially those who had just arrived from affected countries.

The KKP has increased supervision in two ways, namely by conducting a screening process using a body temperature scanning camera (thermal scanner) and observing passengers (surveillance syndrome).

Yado said the airport played a vital role in preventing the entry of the corona virus. "Therefore, PT Angkasa Pura II and KKP which are under the Ministry of Health have tightened supervision, especially for passengers on international routes who have just arrived," Yado told VOI, Friday, January 24.

"Thermal scanner equipment is installed or activated at the arrival terminal, and will not interfere with the flow of passenger arrivals. KKP personnel will carry out surveillance using the thermal scanner, and carry out surveillance syndrome," added Yado.

He explained that the increased supervision was carried out at PT Angkasa Pura II airports including Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, which is the largest and busiest airport in Indonesia.

Soekarno-Hatta Class I Port Health Office has also published a circular regarding the prevention of the entry of the corona virus into Indonesia. In this circular letter, apart from increasing supervision through thermal scanners and surveillance syndrome, the Soekarno-Hatta KKP also gave an appeal to the airlines.

"All airlines that serve direct flights and transits from China and Hong Kong must immediately submit health documents in the form of gendec and passenger manifest immediately after landing to health workers at the KKP Health Post, the international flight terminal," stated in a circular signed by the Head of the KKP. Class I Soekarno-Hatta dr. Anas Ma'ruf.

The Soekarno-Hatta Class I KKP also appealed to the socialization to be carried out to aviation stakeholders so that they could early recognize the symptoms of the disease and quickly report them to the officers.

Yado also said that his party together with the KKP also took precautions by distributing masks, to provide protection for officers who have a high risk of being exposed to the corona virus.

In addition to officers, masks were also distributed to arriving passengers, especially from China. According to Yado, the Soekarno-Hatta Airport KKP has appealed to airlines, especially those flying to China, to equip cabin crew with masks.

Meanwhile, quoted from the temple space page, the Managing Director of Angkasa Pura Airports, Faik Fahmi, said Bali and Manado were the biggest tourist destinations from China who came through airports managed by Angkasa Pura Airports. China is the country with the most cases of the corona virus.

During 2019, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali Airport was passed by more than 1.19 million passengers from China. Meanwhile, Manado's Sam Ratulangi Airport was passed by more than 116 thousand passengers from China.

"Entering this Lunar New Year holiday, Bali and Manado have the potential to experience an increase in tourist visits from China, so their vigilance is necessary," said Faik Fahmi.

The new corona virus first spread in the City of Wuhan, China. There, around 500 people have contracted the Wuhan flu, with 17 of them dying. Wuhan residents are "quarantined" by the government so they don't leave the area. Due to this incident, several countries have also tightened health checks at their international airports.