Singapore sends second shipment of medical supplies to Indonesia as COVID-19 cases surge
A container of oxygen supplies being loaded on board RSS Endeavour. (Photo: Ministry of Defence, Singapore)
SINGAPORE: Singapore has sent a second shipment of emergency oxygen supplies and equipment to Indonesia amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
A Republic of Singapore Navy ship, bound for Tanjung Priok Port in Indonesia, left Changi Naval Base on Sunday (Jul 11) morning carrying two ISO tanks with 40 tons of liquid oxygen, 500 oxygen cylinders and 570 oxygen concentrators, said Singapore's Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.
A first shipment, delivered by Singapore's air force, was sent on Friday.
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"As Indonesia’s close neighbour and partner, Singapore will continue to work in close cooperation with Indonesia to support their efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a news release.
Mr Teo said on Sunday that he has had "several phone calls over the past few days" with Indonesian minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who is coordinating the country's COVID-19 response.
The ministers discussed "how best (Singapore) can supplement Indonesia’s critical life-saving oxygen needs", Mr Teo said on Facebook. "I assured him that Singapore will do our utmost, and work together to overcome this pandemic together."
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Indonesia, the region's hardest-hit and most populous country, recorded more than 38,000 cases on Friday for a second successive day, six times the number a month earlier.
More than 2.4 million COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the country since the start of the pandemic, with more than 64,000 deaths.
Authorities have extended restrictions to more locations across the archipelago, hoping to avert the crisis seen on the island of Java, where oxygen supplies are low and four of five designated COVID-19 burial grounds in the capital Jakarta are close to full.
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