The evacuation process might involve three military aircraft during one flight or a civilian one with more than one flight, Fadjroel Rachman, the president’s spokesman, noted here on Friday.
The decision was discussed at a limited cabinet meeting on Thursday evening, he remarked.
In accordance with Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2019 on handling the disease outbreak and biological as well as chemical nuclear emergency, the evacuation process will involve 20 relevant ministries and institutions, including the Health Ministry.
The Health Ministry will prepare several hospitals to accommodate Indonesian citizens returning from Hubei and to be quarantined to prevent the coronavirus from spreading in the country.
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has been under negotiation with the Chinese government to facilitate the evacuation of Indonesian citizens in Wuhan and the surrounding areas that have been shut down following the coronavirus outbreak.
Some 243 Indonesian citizens are currently staying in Wuhan, Xianing, Haungxi, Xiangian, and Xian in Hubei Province. There are 93 Indonesians in Wuhan, the origin of the coronavirus outbreak, and none of them have reportedly contracted infection from the new virus.
Death toll from the coronavirus outbreak increased to 213 on Friday morning, with a total of 9,066 people being positively infected and 12,167 others suspected of being infected. Related news: Indonesian government discusses options related to evacuation
Related news: Indonesian student in Wuhan welcomes govt's planned evacuation
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Translator: Nabila AC, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
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