Semarang city regional police commander had ordered us to communicate with the port authority to not allow this cruise ship to dock.Semarang (ANTARA) - A Norway-flagged cruise ship MV Viking Sun was denied permission to dock at Tanjung Emas Port in Semarang on Thursday following the coronavirus outbreak fear, as some passengers are suspected of carrying the virus.
Police Commissioner Samsu Wirman, chief of local police, confirmed that the cruise ship, with some 1,600 passengers onboard, is currently located 1.5 nautical miles away from the port.
"The Semarang city regional police commander had ordered us to communicate with the port authority to not allow this cruise ship to dock," Wirman revealed.
Head of the Semarang city health agency Mochamad Abdul Hakam stated that a team of the heath office of Tanjung Emas Port was deployed to conduct medical checkups of all passengers.
He projected that the checkups of all passengers would take some four to five hours since "examination should be very detailed to check whether anything unusual happens."
If the team finds a condition with the people under observation, all passengers would be kept on the vessel.
As an emergency measure, the agency had also prepared a medical team at the port that is ready to take such actions in the event of passengers disembarking and requiring immediate treatment. Related news: Ministry tracks 10 coming in close contact with Covid-19 patients
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Translator: Immanuel Senjaya, Suwanti
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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