President Jokowi Urges Public to Increase Vigilance Against 2019-nCoV Spread

President Jokowi answers reporters’ questions after leading a Limited Meeting at PT PAL, Surabaya, East Java, Monday (27/1). (Foto: PR Division/Agung7

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reminded the public to increase vigilance against coronavirus (2019-nCoV) symptoms to anticipate the spread of the novel virus.

“We have also increased airport monitoring particularly at airports that serve direct flights to and from China,” President Jokowi told reporters after leading a Limited Meeting at state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia, Surabaya, East Java, Monday (27/1).

The President went on to say that preventative measures are still not enough because the new coronavirus has an incubation period of between 1 to 14 days, so if a carrier does not have a fever, thermal scanners installed at the airport cannot detect it.

Also on that occasion, President Jokowi said that many Indonesian nationals are still trapped in the locked-down city of Wuhan, China.

“The Indonesian Embassy in China has followed (instruction from local authorities) very carefully; the current major problem is supplies,” he said, adding that Chinese authorities have imposed tight controls on travel in and around Wuhan, thus the Indonesian Government needs to find a way to send supplies to Indonesians in Wuhan.

“The Indonesian Embassy in China is endeavoring to help them,” the President concluded. (DID/EN)

Translated by : Rany Anjany
Reviewed by : Mia Medyana Bonaedy