Updates on Cruise Ships Crew Members Covid-19 Observation

Secretary to the Directorate General of Disease Control and Prevention Achmad Yurianto delivers a press statement at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Friday (6/3). (Photo by: Public Relations / Oji)

The Indonesian Government announced updates regarding Indonesian citizens working as crew members aboard the World Dream and Diamond Princess cruise ships amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

“First, based on laboratory tests, 188 Indonesian citizens on the World Dream Cruise ship have tested negative for the disease,” Secretary to the Directorate General of Disease Control and Prevention of Ministry of Health Achmad Yurianto said during a press conference at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Friday (6/3).

Achmad went on to say that all crew members were in good health condition and there would be another test within 14 days. After that, the Government will return them home.

“From a total of 188 Indonesian crew members, there are 16 women and one of them is found 3 months pregnant. The condition of the pregnancy and the mother are all good,” Achmad said.

During observation period, Achmad continued, there are 35 medical staff deployed by Ministry of Health, consisting of pulmonologists, internists, cardiologists, clinical pathologists, general practitioners, and nurses.  The Government also provides medical facilities during this period, such as an emergency unit and a mini Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“Second, we have evacuated 69 Indonesian citizens working as crew members aboard Diamond Princess Cruise ship to Sebaru Island. We separated one of the evacuees since he was suspected to contract Covid-19 and being quarantined in the Persahabatan Hospital,” he said.

Furthermore, Achmad said that there were ten medical staff who picked up the Diamond Cruise crew members to Japan so they must also be observed, considering that they have had close contact with these crew members.

“Based on the data, the ten medical staff were all negative from the disease. We will add more 20 medical staffs. So, there are 30 medical staffs in total to assist Diamond Princess crew members specifically,” he further stated.

In order to track the Bali cluster case, health authorities are gathering information of a Japanese tourist’s activities from 15 to 19 February because after returning to Japan on 22 February, he/she was tested positive for Covid-19.

“We have tracked the case started from the hotel, then the driver of the chartered car, including room service officers who have contact with the Japanese citizen. There were 11 people who were suspected to have close contact with him/her; they have been tested and found negative from the virus, yet they will be monitored until the next 11 days.  The observation is carried out by Bali Provincial Health Service,” Achmad added.

To date, he continued, the report showed that they are in good health and expected to remain good until the observation finished.

On the Jakarta cluster case, Achmad said that there are 25 people suspected to contract Covid-19 since they are connected with Indonesia’s first coronavirus patients.

“However, not all of these 25 people have been examined, because they were all only at the same event and not all of them were in close contact. We are currently observing four suspected people for Covid-19,” he added.

 According to Achmad, the laboratory results of the fifth-day observation will be reported immediately.

“The two people who were infected with case 1 and case 2 are all in good physical condition. Today, we have received a report from the Director of Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital explaining that there were no suspicious symptoms found,” he added.

In the meantime, those four people who are now being isolated, are in stable condition. He also said that some of them still have cough and cold and their body temperature is above 37 celsius degree, which meant that they still had a slight fever.

On that occasion, Achmad said that so far there are 227 specimens from 61 hospitals in 25 provinces that have examined and these patients are now under surveillance.

“All of the total cases, we have reported two positive cases and they are being treated already in the hospital. Then, there were 13 suspect cases, which are isolated in the hospital, while the others have tested negative,” he said. (TGH / EN).

Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana