Govt Claims 136 Suspected Coronavirus Specimens Tests Negative

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Health announced that it has tested a total of 136 specimens from suspected coronavirus patients in Indonesia, which came back negative. The ministry confidently announced that Indonesia is currently still free from coronavirus or COVID-19 as of February 27. 

“The update up until February 27, 2020, showed that all 136 specimens were tested negative,” said Health Ministry spokesperson Widyawati in a text message to Tempo on Friday, February 28.

This announcement was issued amidst the rising doubt from the international community regarding Indonesia’s lack of confirmed coronavirus cases. This suspicion was made stronger after a Japanese national had contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus after vacationing in Bali on February 15-19, which was confirmed by the Health Ministry. 

However, Japan authorities asserted that the virus the patient contracted is different from the COVID-19. 

There was one more death that rose suspicion when a suspected coronavirus patient died in Semarang’s Dr. Kariadi general hospital. The patient had previously traveled to Spain and the United Arab Emirates and came back with symptoms of high fever, severe coughing, and breathing difficulties. 

The patient was then isolated and treated under the pretense of coronavirus. Four days into treatment, the patient, unfortunately, passed away. The Indonesian government claimed the patient had contracted the swine flu virus.

The government strongly denied that it has covered up cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia, with Health Minister Terawan issuing a fuming statement denouncing such claims and defended that the government always treats all suspected carriers with scientific data. 

“All of the specimens are negative. Don’t question this and that. The data is factual, none are doctored,” said Minister Terawan on Thursday.

DEWI NURITA | MAYA AYU PUSPITA