Acting Makassar Mayor M Iqbal Suhaeb (second left) checked the quarantine command post for participants of Global Ijtima, Asian Zone, at Grand Sayang Hotel in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Saturday (ANTARA)

As many as 107 foreign participants of postponed Islamic congregation the 2020 Global Ijtima-Asian Zone, in South Sulawesi Province have reportedly returned to their countries while 350 others are still staying at a hotel pending repatriation.

"Up till now 107 participants have returned home. The remaining 350 participants are waiting for repatriation. God willing, they will be repatriated in stages. Some of them will return home tonight and tomorrow," acting Makassar Mayor M. Iqbal Suhaeb said on Saturday.

He said the local authorities have checked the condition of the foreign citizens including their health, the availability of food and drinking water and security arrangement by Indonesian police and military personnel. "Thank God their condition is relatively good," he remarked.

One of the 350 foreign participants who still stay at the hotel had diarrhea. However, a medical team has treated him, he said.

He said the foreign nationals have been isolated at the hotel to prevent them from leaving the hotel and socializing with local residents. Likewise, no local residents are allowed to enter the hotel compounds.

The 2020 Global Ijtima-Asian Zone, was postponed to combat the spread of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The decision was taken as a precautionary measure against the potential spread of COVID-19 by isolating members of the congregation for the sake of their safety and of the local residents, Gowa District Head Adnan Purichta Ichsan YL informed journalists on Thursday.

The mass gathering which had originally been planned to take place in Nirrannuang Village, Bontomarannu Sub-district, was postponed following a meeting with several members of the organizing committee and Global Ijtima-Asian Zone's advisory council.

The meeting was initiated by representatives of the Gowa District administration, local police and military, along with other related parties, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). (ANTARA)

fficers loaded military cargo plane C-130B Hercules with medical assistance from China on Saturday (March 21) at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China, to contain COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia (ANTARA)

The Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto said, nine tons of medical assistance from various sides in China to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia  are scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Monday (March 23) at around 9.30 a.m.

"Tomorrow morning, the airplane will land at Halim Perdanakusuma (Air Force Base) at 9.30 a.m.," Tjahjanto said in Jakarta on Sunday.

The military cargo plane C-130B Hercules has arrived at the Rd Sadjad Air Force Base in Natuna on early Sunday in a ferry flight.

It arrived at Pudong Airport at 10.20 p.m. on Saturday (March 21) and left the airport at 00.40 a.m. local time on Sunday. The plane made a transit stop at Sanya Airport in Hainan Province before continuing its flight to Indonesia..

The health equipments would be handed over from TNI General Chief of Staff Lt.Gen Joni Supriyanto to Deputy Defense Minister Wahyu Sakti Trenggono upon its arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base.

The medical assistance comprises disposable masks, N95 masks, protective clothing, goggles, rubber gloves, shoes covers, infra-red thermometer, surgical head covers, and some other equipments.

The medical assistance is the first phase of aid . China is expected to extend another 20 tons of medical aid for Indonesia.

Previously, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has written a letter to the Military Chief, requesting  to transport the medical assistance to the country.

The Ministry has also established a special team to handle the coronavirus. (ANTARA)

A symbolic handover ceremony for East Jakarta’s Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory on Sunday (22/3/2020) to be used as isolation facility for COVID-19 patients in Jakarta Hajj Hospital. (ANTARA)

The hajj dormitory in Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, will be turned into an isolation facility for those who have been infected by the coronavirus or COVID-19.

Minister of Religious Affairs, Fachrul Razi, had symbolically handed over one of the Hajj Dormitory buildings, Sunday, to be turned into isolation rooms of the Hajj Hospital Jakarta.

In a statement received here, Sunday, the dormitory building that will be turned into COVID-19 handling isolation facility was handed over to Chairman of the Jakarta Hajj Hospital, Syarief Hasan Lutfie.

In addition, the minister also handed over  more than Rp3 billion worth of aid and personal protective equipment in the form of masks and hazmat suits, which came from the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Task Force on COVID-19 Handling.

The task force consists of those from the Ministry, as well as the Hajj Fund Management Agency, National Alms Agency, and the Indonesian Waqf Board. The assistance given is said to be the initial stage, which will be evaluated as needed.

The Minister of Religious Affairs, in his remarks, expressed his appreciation towards the doctors and medical personnel in the Jakarta Hajj Hospital who had worked tirelessly to serve the community and handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hopefully, this assistance can help  overcome COVID-19 and improve services to the community. Make the best use of this aid, especially in the health sector," he said.

Chief of the Jakarta Hajj Hospital COVID-19 Task Force, Mahesa explained the handling procedures of patients who had been diagnosed with positive coronavirus infection in his hospital.

"We had previously used the prayer room (mushalla) as the isolation room for patients suspected of COVID-19 at the Haji Hospital in Jakarta," Mahesa said. (ANTARA)

The Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque Prof Nasaruddin Umar (center) during a press conference with the Task Force for COVID-19 handling in Jakarta on Friday (March 20, 2020).

Jakarta - The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque KH Prof Nasaruddin Umar has appealed to Muslims in Indonesia to call off congregational prayers at mosques, including the Friday prayers, especially those in regions, with reported coronavirus cases.

"In regions where the virus has spread, there is sufficient rationale behind not holding events in congregation, including the Friday prayers, Fajr, Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib and 'Isha congregational prayers," Umar noted during a press conference along with the COVID-19 handling Task Force in Jakarta on Friday.

Umar remarked that Muslims in regions, where COVID-19 cases had yet to be confirmed, can perform Friday prayers by adhering to the health protocol to prevent the spread of the virus and maintain a safe distance with other people.

"Maintain a distance of some two meters between one another. We, at Istiqlal Mosque, are following that practice," he pointed out.

The Istiqlal Mosque has cancelled Friday prayers for two weeks following a call from Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to all mosques in the capital city to not hold congregational events to contain the further spread of coronavirus.

It suggested people to perform the Zuhr prayer at home in place of the Friday prayer.

President Joko Widodo had earlier called on the public to practice social distancing by maintaining a safe distance between one another and avoiding crowds to cut the transmission chain of the virus.

"Our priority is to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Hence, it is crucial to reduce the people's mobility. We continue to promote social distancing and avoid crowds that can increase the risk of people contracting the virus," Jokowi stated.

Umar pointed out that the decision to call off the Friday prayers was taken to safeguard people from the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) has also issued a fatwa to avoid crowds to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"As religious people, all we can do is to follow our ulemas and umara (government)," he stated.

The management of Istiqlal Mosque has taken into account the situation in other countries, such as Iran, South Korea, and Italy, where the virus has spread rapidly.

As of Thursday, the number of COVID-19 patients in Indonesia had reached 309, with 25 deaths and 15 others having recovered. (ANTARA)