Indian Foreigner Is Positive For COVID-19 Isolated In Jakarta Hotel, Deputy Governor Riza: Under Strict Supervision

DKI Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria (Diah Ayu VOI)

JAKARTA - A number of Indian citizens entered Indonesia and some of them tested positive for COVID-19. They entered the country when the COVID-19 cases in India were soaring.

Indian foreigners who are positive for COVID-19 undergo isolation in a number of hotels in Jakarta, because they arrived from Soekarno Hatta Airport. One of them is at the Ibis Tamarin Hotel.

Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria guaranteed that the government will closely monitor Indian foreigners who are being quarantined so as not to transmit COVID-19 to other residents in Jakarta.

"There has been a procedure so far. Foreign citizens who come to Indonesia must enter quarantine and those concerned are already in quarantine, especially if someone is positive for COVID-19, so of course supervision will be even tighter," said Riza at Balai DKI City, Central Jakarta, Friday, April 23.

Learning from the spike in COVID-19 cases in India, Riza asked citizens of the capital to be more vigilant by implementing health protocols, even though the vaccination program was already in progress.

This is because several countries that experienced a spike in corona virus cases were due to the relaxation of health protocols. Plus, the emergence of a new variant of the virus that is more contagious.

"We learned a lot from several countries. We ask the 3M protocol community as a necessity, as in the days we drink, eat, worship, wear clothes, brush our teeth. That's what we need to do," said Riza.

The entry of positive Indian foreigners with COVID-19 into Indonesia

A total of 129 foreigners from India entered Indonesia at a time when COVID-19 cases were soaring in their country. In fact, currently, in general, foreign citizens (WNA) are prohibited from entering Indonesia. This is stated in the Covid-19 Kasatgas Circular Letter Number 6 of 2021.

Director General of Immigration, Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, Jhoni Ginting, said that hundreds of people who departed from India were Temporary Stay Permit Cards (KITAS). Therefore, they are expected to enter Indonesia.

"Indeed they all get travel documents in the form of visas which are exempted and may enter according to Permenkumham 26/2020," said Jhonny.

In details, the 129 people consist of 38 Indian citizens visiting visa holders, 46 Indian WN KITAS holders, 1 US citizen KITAS holders, 32 Indian WN VITAS holders, 12 Indonesian citizens, and 11 Indonesian citizens.

These 129 people went to Indonesia using an Air Asia QZ-988 charter plane which landed at Soekarno Hatta Airport on Wednesday, April 21. As a result, to date there have been 12 foreigners who have tested positive for COVID-19. Currently, they are undergoing quarantine at the hotel for 5x24 hours. Then, a PCR swab will be performed again.