Indonesian Air Force Alerts Aircraft To Pick Up Indonesian Citizens In Wuhan

Coronavirus prevention at Soekarno-Hatta Airport (Irvan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Air Force has prepared two Boeing 737 and one C130 Hercules aircraft if needed to evacuate Indonesian citizens living in Wuhan China. In addition, the TNI will also send medical aid in the form of masks for Indonesian citizens in China after the spread of the corona virus.

"The results of the meeting yesterday, two days ago we met with the Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared Boeing 737 and 1 C130 Hercules aircraft. We also prepare personnel from the health battalion," said Head of the Indonesian Air Force Information Service (Kadispenau) First Marshal. TNI Fajar Adriyanto to reporters, Wednesday, January 29.

It's just not known when the evacuation was carried out. Given, currently diplomacy is still being carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs towards the Chinese Government.

"We are still on stand by, the Indonesian Air Force is clearly ready, ready whenever it is dispatched," he said.

Meanwhile, for the number of health workers who will join the flight, Fajar said, the Ministry of Health is currently carrying out a sorting. To be sure, to prevent the transmission of the virus, officers who go to pick up Indonesian citizens in Wuhan will be prepared with various equipment such as masks and other preventive tools.

Regarding the 2019-nCoV Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, the results of the @PolhukamRI @Kemlu_RI @KemenkesRI meeting, the Indonesian Air Force has alerted 2 units of Boeing B737, 1 unit C130 Hercules, and Health Battalion #TNIAU to evacuate Indonesian citizens. 👤 # swabhuwanapaksa #sayaptanahair #jauhdilangitneardihati pic.twitter.com/xq98FUYiLN

- Indonesian Air Force (@_TNIAU) January 29, 2020

In addition, after pick-up is carried out, all airplane passengers will first undergo quarantine at the Prof. Infectious Diseases Hospital. Dr. Sulianti Saroso, Jakarta for 28 days according to standard procedures.

"So it is not immediately free to go directly. Quarantine first, which we prepare, the briefing is like that," he said.

Previously reported, the government guaranteed that 243 Indonesian citizens (WNI) who were quarantined in Hubei Province were still safe from the spread of the corona virus disease.

Minister of Health Terawan explained that the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in China are trying to ensure the availability of logistics as daily necessities and maintain the intensity of communication with Indonesian citizens spread across 17 cities in the province.

"Our friends who are still confined in Hubei province are still in good health, even though they are at the center of the first infection center of the outbreak," said Tewawan at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Empowerment and Culture, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, January 28.

Masks for Indonesians in Wuhan, China (doc. BNPB)

To protect Indonesian citizens from diseases caused by the corona virus, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo said that his party would send as many as 10 thousand masks of the N95 type to China to protect 243 Indonesian citizens (WNI) in Hubei Province from the attack of the corona virus.

The N95 mask is designed to prevent 95 percent of particles both large and small containing viruses in the air. Generally, these N95 masks are used by people who work or research around hazardous substances or when handling smoke due to forest fires.

"Today half of it will be sent. Of the 10 thousand, 5 thousand will be sent," said Doni.

Doni stated that his party would coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) to ensure that the masks were received by Indonesian citizens who were in China.