Chinese Tourists in Batam Chant 'Wuhan Jiayou' as They Head Home
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31 January 2020 09:27 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of Chinese tourists that arrived several days ago for a vacation at a tourism site in Batam, Riau Islands have started to head home to China amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The process of their departure was done gradually, such as the last group of tourists at Batam’s Hang Nadim International Airport on Thursday, January 30.
Unlike the usual sight at the airport, the Chinese tourists wore face masks and chanted "Wuhan Jiayou" as they queued at the airport. From numerous videos spread in social media, this yell is considered a solidarity chant carrying the spirit; “keep it up Wuhan.”
Head of the Hang Nadim International Airport, Suwarso, told Tempo that there are 399 tourists returning to China after their vacation in Batam. “All of them came to Batam via a travel agent,” said Suwarso to Tempo on Thursday, January 30.
Suwarso said that airport authorities took safety precautions to its maximum by spraying disinfectants in the airport area that was used by the Chinese tourists. “We have also utilized scanners. We have yet detected suspected cases of [coronavirus infection],” said the airport head.
YOGI EKA SAHPUTRA
