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COVID-19: KM Kelud put in quarantine in Medan after crewmen test positive
The three crewmen who tested positive for COVID-19 have been taken to an isolation ward at the Martha Friska Hospital in Medan, while 50 other passengers and crewmen have been put in quarantine in the city.
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Passengers departing from Port Dickson in Malaysia arrive in Dumai Seaport in Riau on March 19, 2020 -- the second day of Malaysia's nationwide lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Antara/Aswaddy Hamid)
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orth Sumatra health authorities have placed dozens of passengers and crew members of KM Kelud into quarantine after three crewmen tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving at Belawan Port in Medan on Monday evening.
North Sumatra COVID-19 task force spokesperson Aris Yudhariansyah said the three crewmen were taken to an isolation ward at the Martha Friska Hospital in Medan. Meanwhile, 36 passengers and 14 other crew members were put in quarantine in two separate places.
“All passengers are quarantined at a site of plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara [PTPN] III in Sungai Karang subdistrict, while the crewmen are quarantined on board the ship,” Aris said on Tuesday.
He added 36 passengers would be quarantined for four days in Sungai Karang before representatives of the local administration took them for a 14-day quarantine in their respective regions.
Rapid testing prior to docking at Belawan Port also showed that 40 crewmen had contracted the disease. Thirty-nine of them were evacuated to the Galang Island COVID-19 Specialist Hospital in Riau Islands, while another one was taken to an isolation ward at BP Batam Hospital in Batam, also in Riau Islands.
Read also: Medan toddler suspected of COVID-19 infection dies
KM Kelud sailed from Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta to Riau Islands and North Sumatra carrying a total of 111 passengers and 57 crew.
Thirty-one passengers got off at Batu Ampar Port in Batam and 44 others at Tanjung Balai Karimun Port in Riau Islands. Meanwhile, 36 people disembarked at Belawan Port in Medan.
State-owned shipping company PT Pelni corporate secretary Yahya Kuncoro said the Port Health Authority (KKP) had adhered to the health protocol by spraying disinfectant on all parts of the ship right after it docked at Belawan Port.
The ship is now placed 9 miles from the port. “We will quarantine KM Kelud for 14 days in that location starting today,” Yahya said on Tuesday.
As of Monday, no passenger was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. (aly)
