They are also requested to reduce the number of unnecessary events and delay massive gatherings
Jember, E Java (ANTARA) - The University of Jember (Unej), East Java, applied preventive measures to stop the spread of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by requesting its academic community members, with recent travel history to infected nations, to be self-quarantined.

Unej's students, lecturers, and employees that had recently returned from COVID-19-infected countries are obliged to conduct a self-quarantine for 14 days since their arrival, the university rector, Iwan Taruna, stated in a letter.

According to the letter on COVID-19 preventive measures, signed by the rector, that ANTARA received here on Thursday, the rectorate also urged Unej's students, lecturers, and workers to re-schedule their travel to infected countries.

The countries comprise China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, France, and Egypt.

"If the students or teaching staff, who have just returned from abroad, suffer from symptoms, such as fever, cough, influenza, and shortness of breath within 14 days of self-quarantine, they are urged to approach the Unej Medical Center for medical check-up," Taruna stated.

They are also urged to send the result of their medical check-ups through email to the university authority, he stated, adding that all Unej's academic community members are suggested to lead a healthy lifestyle to safeguard from contracting the COVID-19 infection.

"They are also requested to reduce the number of unnecessary events and delay massive gatherings," he revealed.

To prevent the spread of this deadly virus, the university authority has also set up a COVID-19 Corner for disbursing valuable information on ways to deal with the coronavirus impact and provide hand sanitizers in the campus area.

The Indonesian government has put in place precautionary measures since the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak that had first struck the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019.

In addition to installing thermal scanners at the country's airports and seaports as well as making preparations at hospitals across the archipelago, the Indonesian government had repatriated several hundreds of its citizens.

On Feb 2, a total of 238 Indonesian nationals were airlifted from Wuhan, China, to then be quarantined in Natuna District's area in Riau Islands Province. All of them were found to be healthy and sent back to their families.

The Indonesian government also repatriated 188 Indonesians employed as crew members of the cruise ship World Dream liner and 69 Indonesians employed as cabin crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

The World Dream cruise ship's crew members have been sent to Sebaru Kecil Island, Jakarta's Thousand Islands, for a 14-day quarantine, while 69 others are to be brought to the same island this week.

On March 2, 2020, President Jokowi declared that two Indonesians had tested positive for COVID-19, so they were treated in an isolated room of the Jakarta-based Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The deadly virus outbreak, which has infected 65 countries, including Indonesia, claimed at least three thousand lives -- most of whom are in China, and infected over 88,400 people worldwide.

Related news: Indonesian Diamond Princess crew transferred to Sebaru Kecil Island Related news: North Jakarta Police seize 60,000 stockpiled masks

EDITED BY INE

Translator: Zumrotun S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020