Indonesia’s minister of transportation tests positive for coronavirus

Passengers disembark from the Westerdam cruise ship in Sihanoukville on February 15, 2020. - Passengers on a cruise ship that was turned away from ports around Asia over fears they could be carrying the new coronavirus finally began disembarking in Cambodia on February 14. (Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP). Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

JAKARTA, Mar 15, 2020, ANTARA. Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi has tested positive to the new type of coronavirus, COVID-19, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno announced. Sumadi is currently being treated at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD), ANTARA reported.

Minister of State Secretary Pratikno accompanied by Deputy Head of the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital Albertus Budi Sulistya held a press conference to announce the health status of Sumadi.

“We received a report that the minister’s health condition is getting better,” Pratikno said in Jakarta, Saturday.

Sumadi tested positive for COVID-19 and became the 76th patient, Sulistya, said.

“At the moment we are treating him at the Army Hospital. This afternoon, there have been improvements to his health,” he said.

Sumadi does have various inherited pains, according to Albertus.

“So initially he was treated with comorbidities in private hospitals, in his development he was short of breath. Several medical devices were installed to his body so that the condition was handled properly,” Albertus said.

Albertus did not explain when Sumadi began to be treated at the hospital.

For the past two weeks, Sumadi had not been attending activities at the Ministry of Transportation and the Presidential Palace.

He was known to have welcomed 69 Indonesian crew members of Diamond Princess at Kertajati Airport, West Java on March 2, 2020.

Share it


Exclusive: Beyond the Covid-19 world's coverage