They look very happy to assist this humanitarian mission. According to Lt. Col. Sitanggang, everybody is happyJakarta (ANTARA) - Many of the 188 crew members of World Dream cruise ship currently quarantined in Sebaru Kecil Island, Jakarta's Thousand Islands, are assisting in a kitchen preparing food for those in the coronavirus observation facility.
They were allowed to assist the chefs responsible for preparing food and drink by Head Chef for the Sebaru Kecil Island's Humanitarian Mission Lt. Col. Sitanggang, Spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Agus Wibowo said here Monday. As revealed in the agency's press statement that ANTARA received, these World Dream's crew members voluntarily assisted in the kitchen activities since they were also accustomed to working in the kitchen when working on the cruise ship, according to Wibowo.
"They look very happy to assist this humanitarian mission. According to Lt. Col. Sitanggang, everybody is happy," he said.
Sitanggang was appointed by the agency's head, Doni Monardo, who had also headed the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) in the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono presidential era, he added.
The Indonesian Government has chosen Sebaru Kecil Island in Jakarta's Thousand Islands as the coronavirus (COVID-19)-related quarantine site for 188 Indonesians from the World Dream liner’s crew repatriated a week ago.
In the face of the outbreak, Dream Cruises had earlier announced that departures of several of its cruise ships were suspended and several of its crew members, including 188 Indonesians employed at the World Dream cruise ship, were sent home.
The outbreak, which initially struck the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, forced several airliners, including national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, to suspend direct flights to and from mainland China.
The Indonesian Government has also repatriated 69 Indonesians employed as cabin crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise liner.
They had been airlifted from Japan's Haneda International Airport and landed at the Kertajati Airport in West Java Sunday night, March 1. They were also transported to Sebaru Kecil Island for a 14-day quarantine.
In another development, two Indonesians who had tested positive for COVID-19 are residents of Depok City, West Java, considered a neighboring area of the capital Jakarta, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto reported Monday.
The patients – a 64-year-old woman and her 31-year-old daughter – had contracted the virus from a Japanese national, who had visited Indonesia and was in close contact with them.
The Japanese tested positive while in Malaysia after leaving Indonesia.
This deadly virus has killed nearly 3,000 people, most of whom are in China, and infected over 88,400 people worldwide.
Related news: World Dream, Diamond Princess evacuees to undergo separate observation
Related news: 188 Indonesians start their 14-day quarantine in Sebaru Kecil Island
Related news: First COVID-19 case surfaces in Indonesia
Related news: Government readies 100 hospitals to handle coronavirus cases
Translator: Dewanto S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
