VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Aceh provincial government has again transferred Rp50 million to meet the basic requirements of 12 Acehnese students currently stranded in Wuhan, China's city, the epicenter of the deadly new coronavirus.

"Today, we again transferred Rp50 million for our students in Wuhan," Head of the Aceh Provincial Administration's Social Affairs Office Alhudri notified journalists at the Command Post for Assisting the Acehnese Students in China here on Wednesday.

Several days ago, the Aceh provincial administration had also transferred Rp50 million to meet the students' basic necessities.

The students had utilized the money that the government sent them in the first phase. The money transferred for the second time on Wednesday will also be channeled to purchase logistics, he stated, adding that 62 Acehnese students currently study in China.

Of the total Acehnese students studying in China, 36 have returned to Aceh, while six are still in the process of returning to the province; eight students remain in other Chinese cities; while 12 others are yet stranded in Wuhan, Alhudri stated.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta, Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin had confirmed on Wednesday that the government was making preparations to evacuate Indonesian citizens from Wuhan's adjoining cities.

"In fact, we, the government, have prepared to conduct the evacuation. However, Wuhan has become an isolated area, so no one can enter or leave. As a consequence, everything in on hold, pending the stance of the Chinese government," Amin noted.

The government will evacuate Indonesian citizens from Wuhan, where the corona virus originated, once the isolation status in the city is revoked, he explained.

The Indonesian government is also awaiting information from the World Health Organization (WHO) over the status of a public health emergency due to the corona virus.

"Our government is ready. If there is a possibility, we will evacuate. However, the government continues to pay attention to our people, especially those in Wuhan," he stated.

Chinese authorities declared the first case of coronavirus after a person with pneumonia was hospitalized in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, according to an official statement of the WHO.

Over the past weeks, people, with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan, had been identified at international airports.

This novel coronavirus has, so far, claimed at least 132 lives in China, while several other countries, such as Thailand, Australia, Singapore, the United States, Japan, and Canada, have announced their confirmed cases.

However, none of the confirmed cases were found in Indonesia. Apart from this reality, since the issuance of an official statement by the WHO on the coronavirus outbreak in China, the Indonesian government has remained on alert.

As part of its precautionary measures, thermal scanners have been installed at various airports around the archipelago for screening international passengers. The thermal scanners are aimed at detecting any foreign tourists symptomatic with this novel coronavirus.

Several hospitals in Indonesia's big cities have also made necessary preparations to handle those with suspected coronavirus symptoms. (ANTARA)