The other air passenger did not fly with CitilinkPontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA) - PT Citilink Indonesia, a subsidiary of the Garuda Indonesia Group, admitted that one of the two air passengers whose rapid test results came "reactive" boarded this low-cost carrier's aircraft for its recent Surabaya-Pontianak flight route.
"The other air passenger did not fly with Citilink," PT Citilink Indonesia's VP Corporate Secretary & Corporate Social Responsibility Resty Kusandarina noted in a statement received by ANTARA in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan Province, on Tuesday.
The Citilink passenger had met all COVID-19 public health requirements before boarding the Surabaya-Pontianak flight, she remarked, adding that based on the authorities' information, the passenger had undergone a swab test and was awaiting the test result.
In connection with this case, Citilink has continued to maintain communication with related agencies, including the Port Health Office and regional government, to obtain accurate and latest information, Kusandarina noted.
Kusandarina further claimed that Citilink has acted in accordance with the Transportation Ministry's regulation on COVID-19 pandemic prevention and mitigation by ensuring that its passengers held the mandated health documents before being allowed to board the aircraft.
In halting the potential spread of the novel coronavirus disease, the Citilink management conducts disinfection of its aircraft fleet on a daily basis shortly after the aircraft finish daily services, she revealed.
As part of the airline's preventive measures, the management has also installed High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters in its fleet, she stated.
Coronavirus infections initially surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019.
Since then, COVID-19 has spread to over 215 countries and territories, including 34 provinces of Indonesia, with a massive spike in death toll.
This COVID-19 pandemic has caused grave health and economic problems owing to its tremendous impacts on Indonesia's business sectors, including the tourism industry.
The Jakarta Post quoted data from the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association on July 14, 2020, that the coronavirus pandemic has wiped out some Rp85 trillion (US$5.87 billion) of Indonesia's tourism revenue.
The coronavirus pandemic has not only disrupted global supply chains but it has also impacted aviation service industries owing to the enforcement of travel restrictions and border closure in several countries.
As of August 1, 2020, Indonesia had registered 1,560 fresh cases and 2,012 recoveries from the coronavirus disease, according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.
The country's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 109,936, including a total of 67,919 recoveries since President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made an announcement of Indonesia's first confirmed cases on March 2, 2020.
The number of people succumbing to COVID-19 surged by 62, thereby bringing the death toll to 5,193.
A total of 11,190 specimens from 9,355 people were examined at 320 laboratories across Indonesia on August 1, thereby bringing the total number of specimens examined to 1,517,381 from 875,894 people. Related news: COVID-19 control effective through human discipline in wearing masks
Related news: Jokowi devises strategy for campaign to propagate COVID-19 protocols
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Teguh IW, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
