Staff members spray disinfectant at a residential area in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, March 16, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

The Indonesian military said it had dispatched a C-130 military transport plane to China on Saturday morning to retrieve medical supplies purchased to fight its domestic outbreak of COVID-19, which has seen rising numbers of confirmed cases.

450 people have now tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Indonesia, with 81 new cases reported on Saturday. 20 patients have recovered and 38 have died.

According to local media reports, the Hercules C-130 aircraft operated by an 18-member crew has departed for Shanghai to transport 9 tons of medical supplies purchased from China by the Indonesian government. The supplies include disposable masks, N95 masks, protective suits, goggles and infrared thermometers.

The operation followed Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto's request to use military aircraft to transport the equipment meant to ease intergovernmental bureaucratic processes, the Jakarta Post reported.