A truck carrying medical device assistance from Tsingshan Charity Foundation to contain COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia arrives at Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China, Saturday (March 21)

An Indonesian Air Force Hercules C-130 plane left Pudong International Airport in Shanghai early Sunday, carrying 9 tons of medical assistance from different sides in China to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia.

The military cargo plane arrived at Pudong Airport at 10.20 p.m. on Saturday and left the airport at 00.40 a,m on Sunday. The plane made a transit stop at Sanya Airport in Hainan Province before continuing its flight to Indonesia..

"The plane was sent to transport the assistance at the initiative of the Indonesian Defense Ministry," Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun told ANTARA.

All sorts of Chinese assistance for Indonesia will be transported from Shanghai and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.

"Beijing currently comes under attention. All sorts of assistance will be flown from Shanghai and Guangzhou," he said.

In line with the rising number of COIVD-19 cases outside China through Beijing, the Chinese authorities have decided to allow planes carrying foreign nationals and international cargo planes to land at airports in the cities of Tianjin, Hohhot and Taiyua.

Vice Chief of the Indonesian Mission in Beijing Dino Kusnadi said the medical assistance in the form of masks, goggles, protective clothing and COVID-19 test kits come from different sides including .Inacham and Tsingshan Charity Foundation

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

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe (wikipedia)

Postponing the 2020 Olympics "may become inevitable" if the new coronavirus outbreak makes it impossible to hold the Games safely, Japan's prime minister said on Monday (Mar 23).

Shinzo Abe told parliament that Japan was still committed to a "complete" Games, but added: "If that becomes difficult, in light of considering athletes first, it may become inevitable that we make a decision to postpone."

The comments were his first acknowledging the possibility that the Games may not open as scheduled on Jul 24 as the coronavirus continues to spread across the world. Overnight, the International Olympic Committee also shifted its tone on the Games, saying it would step up planning for different scenarios, including postponement.

"Cancellation is not an option," Abe said, echoing comments from IOC chief Thomas Bach, who ruled out scrapping the Games, saying it "would not solve any problem and would help nobody". The IOC is responsible for making any final decision on the Games, and has come under increasing pressure from athletes and sports associations worldwide as the coronavirus crisis grows.

The death toll from the coronavirus - which has upended lives and closed businesses and schools across the planet - surged to more than 14,300 Sunday, according to an AFP tally. (CNA)

Canada won’t be at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics unless the Games are postponed by a year.

The Canadian Olympic Committee sent out a statement Sunday evening saying it’s refusing to send a team to Tokyo unless the Games, which are scheduled to start on July 24, are pushed back by 12 months.

The COC’s statement comes amid a chorus of criticism aimed at the International Olympic Committee’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

IOC president Thomas Bach said earlier Sunday that they’d set a deadline of four weeks to determine the fate of the Games, and that the global organization is considering options including postponement.

Cancelling the Games entirely, Bach said, is not being considered. It was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that the IOC had admitted that it would consider other options. (Global News)

Kemayoran Athlete Village changes into an emergency hopsital to treat COVID-19 patients (ANTARA)

Several top officials inspected on Sunday an emergency hospital at the Kemayoran Athlete Village in Central Jakarta to treat patients with coronavirus infection.

The top state officials included Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto, Chief of the National Defense Forces (TNI) Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, and Chief of the COVID-19 Task Force Doni Monardo.

"We have checked the Kemayoran Athlete Village buildings that have been upgraded into an emergency hospital to treat COVID-19 patients," TNI Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said in a press conference at the Kemayoran Athlete Village in Central Jakarta on Sunday.

He said several buildings including Towers 6 and 7 will be used as ICU and non-ICU rooms equipped with standard air conditioners. Tower 3 will be used for supporting medical workers including those from Indonesian military/police hospitals, state-owned companies' hospitals and private hospitals.

"One tower will be used for personnel of the Military/police/BNPB (National Disaster Mitigation Agency) task forces," he said.

Based on the results of check, a rehearsal for the operation of the emergency hospital will be conducted on Sunday night (March 22), he said.

Hopefully, the hospital will start operating on Monday (March 23) as scheduled, he said.

According to the Housing Directorate General's plan, four towers will be used as an emergency hospital. They are towers 1, 3, 6 and 7 in Block D10 next to Mitra Kemayoran Hospital.

The first to 24th floors of Tower 1 will be used for doctors and medical workers. Tower 1 consists of 650 rooms capable of accommodating 1,750 people, he said.

The first to 24th floors of Tower 3 will function as COVID-19 Task Force Command Post. The tower also comprises 650 rooms that can accommodate some 1,750 people.

The first to 24th floors of Tower 6 will be used for an emergency hospital and inpatient treatment . Like Towers 1 and 3, Tower 6 also comprises 650 rooms that can accommodate 1,750 patients. (ANTARA)