VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Three of the 238 Indonesians recently airlifted from Wuhan, China's epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, are residents of Bulukumba District, South Sulawesi Province, South Sulawesi Governor HM Nurdin Abdullah has confirmed. "We have coordinated with the provincial health office. We are taking precautionary measures and are preparing for their return from Natuna District after they complete their 14-day coronavirus incubation period," he told journalists here Wednesday.

"The provincial administration should ensure that they are in good health after being quarantined in Natuna District, Riau Islands Province, so that they can be united with their families in Bulukumba," he said.

A special team whose members comprise those from the South Sulawesi provincial and Bulukumba district administrations has been prepared, Abdullah added.

The Indonesian Government had brought 238 Indonesians home. They were airlifted using a chartered aircraft and arrived in Batam city, Riau Islands Province, on Sunday, February 2. On the same day, they were all flown to Natuna and quarantined.

Before their departure, the health of these 238 Indonesian evacuees had been thoroughly examined by the Chinese authorities before being allowed to board the aircraft.

The Chinese health authorities confirmed that they were all in good health and could be airlifted, according to Indonesian Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto. There were seven other Indonesians who did not join the evacuation.

Four of the seven were offered the opportunity to join the emergency evacuation but refused because they felt more comfortable there, while three others failed the health examinations by Chinese authorities, Putranto said.

The novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan has seriously challenged mainland China as the death toll of this virus has risen to 479 and the number of reported confirmed 2019-nCoV cases in Hubei Province had reached 16,678 as of Tuesday.

Considering the rising mortality rate and the number of those infected inside and outside mainland China, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this 2019-nCoV as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

According to WHO's official website, as of February 3, 2020 there have been 23 countries which have been reported with confirmed 2019-nCoV cases. Among them are Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, USA, and the Philippines.

Indonesia and many other countries are working with the Chinese authorities to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan. The evacuation is part of the accountability of the governments of those countries to their respective citizens. (ANTARA)