TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Spokesperson for the government’s COVID-19 mitigation, Achmad Yurianto, on Thursday denies that the Central Government has not been entirely honest about the regional dispersion of coronavirus patients in Indonesia.

He claims via Whatsapp messanger that provincial health agencies constantly update their reports to the central government on cases related to coronavirus for 24 hours non-stop.

“Each and every inspection record is within the authorization of provincial health agencies and hospitals that treat the patients,” said Yurianto to Tempo on April 2.

The government has been subjected to numerous allegations and criticisms regarding data transparency, Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X has also criticized the government’s transparency upon determining regional coronavirus “red zones.”

However, Yurianto said the central government does not have the exact zonation data. “The Ministry of Health imposes regional criteria not based on colored zonations but is mainly to address the large-scale social restrictions,” he said.

The lack of data was addressed by the Yogyakarta governor as provinces need compelling data on coronavirus red zones to make policies that could combat the outbreak. Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono mainly fears public transport would help mobilize the traffic of people from coronavirus-stricken regions to those that are not.

“Clear information on things like these is needed if we want to cut the chain of the virus transmission,” said the governor.

EGI ADYATAMA | PRIBADI WICAKSONO