Govt to Check COVID-19 Cases in Singapore Following Batam Visit

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Health Ministry is reportedly looking into the Singapore government’s announcement stating that two of its citizens had been confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19 after visiting Batam, Indonesia. 

“I will check [the information],” said the Health Ministry’s secretary of disease prevention and control, Achmad Yurianto in a text message today.

Previously, the Singaporean government announced via its official government website www.gov.sg on March 1 there had been 4 people who tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving from Batam. 

Singapore’s case 103 is a 37-year old local who has no recent history of visiting China, Daegu, and Cheongdo but has visited Batam. This patient is a family member of the country’s case 93 and case 101 patients. 

The Batam city's health agency head Didi Kusmarjadi confirmed that the two coronavirus patients had visited Batam. “But previously in Batam, they were not positive,” he said to Tempo on Monday, March 2. He further elaborated that the two Singaporeans did not show any symptoms until they returned to Singapore, February 23, 2020. 

On March 1, 2020, Singapore reported that COVID-19 case 54 and case 60 had been released from hospital, and in general, 74 patients have been cured of the disease. 

AHMAD FAIZ | YOGI EKA SAHPUTRA