Indonesian crew members flying in from Spain test negative for coronavirus, skip quarantine

File photo of staff spraying disinfectant at the Ngurah Rai International Airport. Photo: Ngurah Rai International Airport
File photo of staff spraying disinfectant at the Ngurah Rai International Airport. Photo: Ngurah Rai International Airport

The latest batch of Indonesian crew members who arrived at Ngurah Rai International Airport yesterday morning reportedly tested negative for the novel coronavirus and were cleared to return home. 

The group consists of 274 Indonesian crew members of cruise ships flying in from Madrid, Spain, all of whom went through rapid tests — which have been known to produce false negatives — conducted at the airport upon arrival. 

“Based on the report from rapid tests conducted at the arrival [hall] of Ngurah Rai International Airport everyone tested negative. So there’s no quarantine,” I Made Rentin, secretary of Bali’s COVID-19 task force, told Kompas yesterday.

Rentin added that they are obliged to self-quarantine for 14 days and will be monitored by the task force in their respective villages. 

Indonesia is currently anticipating mass arrivals of Indonesians abroad, including crew members of international cruise ships looking to return home as some cruise lines halt their operations due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

On Monday, over 300 Indonesian crew members had flown in from Genoa, Italy. Officials said all of them had tested negative for the novel coronavirus and were therefore not subject to quarantine as well. 

Indonesians coming from COVID-19 hot zones, which include Italy and Spain, are subject to health screening by the Port Health Authority upon arrival. The country’s current protocol mandates that should authorities find they are exhibiting early symptoms of COVID-19, they will be observed at a government facility for two weeks. On the other hand, those who do not exhibit early symptoms are advised to self-quarantine for the same period.

More than 600 Indonesian crew members flying in from various locations, including the United States and France, are scheduled to arrive in Ngurah Rai today, according to a report from Tempo

As of yesterday afternoon, Bali has recorded 25 cases of COVID-19, including 2 deaths of foreign nationals and 10 recoveries. In addition, the province has 157 patients under observation.



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