7 Unevacuated Indonesians in China under Close Monitoring: KBRI

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government was keeping an eye on the condition of seven Indonesian citizens who are still in Hubei, China after the other 238 were evacuated on Sunday, February 2, due to the coronavirus threat, said the palace spokesman Fadjroel Rachman. 

“The seven Indonesians who remain in Hubei will continue to be monitored and in contact with the Embassy. We hope they can also get through this difficult time,” said Fadjroel in a written statement on Monday, February 3.

Based on the initial evacuation plan, a total of 245 Indonesians would be airlifted from China, the center of the deadly virus. However, Foreign Affairs Ministry announced in a statement that four refused to get evacuated and decided to stay for family reasons, while the other three failed to pass the health screenings set by the Chinese government prior to the evacuation process.

Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun said the Embassy had communicated with the three citizens who were students in Wuhan, the first city known to be infected by the virus. But Djauhari stopped short of revealing the illness they are suffering.

Djauhari said the Indonesian Embassy had called relevant parties, including the university, to treat them. "What is clear, the Indonesian Embassy will protect and do the best for them as we have done so far," he told Tempo via a short message on Sunday, February 2.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry’s acting spokesperson Faizasyah added that the Indonesian Embassy would assist to provide the logistics needs for the three unevacuated citizens in China.

DEWI NURITA | FRISKI RIANA