They were transported aboard the Indonesian Naval Ship KRI-Semarang 594 to the pier of the Military Naval Command (Kolinlamil) in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.
At the pier, the crew members were received by representatives of their regional administrations. They were also handed over health certificates from the Indonesian Health Ministry before being taken aboard five buses to several destinations in Jakarta.
Director of the Disaster Mitigation and Fire Management Directorate General of Regional Administration Affairs at the Home Ministry Safrizal ZA noted that among the destinations were the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport and Soekarno Hatta International Airport since several of them would depart for their hometowns on Saturday afternoon and evening.
Several others were dropped at hotels or relatives’ houses while awaiting to depart for their homes, he stated, adding that he did not divulge details on the crew members' names and addresses of their families' houses or hotels where they stay in Jakarta.
"However, if they are willing to inform about that and their experience, that is their choice. The government does not disseminate information that tampers with the confidentiality of any individual's privacy. However, if they want to share their experiences, they can do so," he stated.
Some 60 percent of the 188 crew members are from Bali Province. They worked as chefs on the World Dream cruise ship.
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The Indonesian government has selected Sebaru Kecil Island as the quarantine site for COVID-19 disease for 188 Indonesians from the World Dream liner and 69 Indonesians employed as cabin crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise liner.
COVID-19, which firstly struck in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019, claimed at least 4,500 lives and infected over 120 thousand people worldwide. In Indonesia, the virus has infected 69 people and killed four.
Taking into account the increasing death toll and rising spread of this virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.
The Indonesian government has put in place precautionary measures since the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak that 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 has repatriated several hundred citizens.
On February 2, a total of 238 Indonesian nationals were airlifted from Wuhan, China, to then be quarantined in Natuna District's Riau Islands Province. All these Indonesians were found to be healthy and were reunited with their families.
On March 2, 2020, President Jokowi announced that two Indonesians had tested positive for COVID-19. The number of infected confirmed by the government has tended to steadily rise over the past days.
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Translator: Abdu F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
