Volunteer army in Indonesia helps fight coronavirus with data, web

FILE PHOTO: File picture of relatives wearing face masks and standing next to graves of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) victims at a cemetery in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 3, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo

JAKARTA (Reuters) - As Indonesia's most populous province weighed tough movement restrictions to stop the new coronavirus, it turned to a loosely-knit volunteer group of data scientists and health experts.

The Kawal COVID-19 (Guard against COVID-19) group organized a data model presented to the provincial governor that showed there could be 70,000 deaths by July in West Java if no restrictions were imposed compared with only 20,000 if it took tough action.