Ministry of Health Confirms First Monkeypox Case in Indonesia

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Monkeypox
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The first monkeypox disease in Indonesia has just been detected in Jakarta. The health ministry confirmed on Saturday (20/8) that a 27-year-old man from Jakarta who had a history of overseas travel had contracted the disease.

The patient was confirmed positive for monkeypox on Friday night (19/8/2022) after carrying out a PCR examination on Thursday (18/8/2022).

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, as quoted on Monday (22/8/2022), explained that this Jakarta man had direct contact with people where he traveled.

“Currently, the patient is in good condition. In terms of Covid-19, the symptoms are mild. The patient does not need to be treated in an isolation room, but is sufficient to self-isolate at home,” explained the spokesman for the Ministry of Health.

Syahril himself did not mention in detail the travel history of the monkeypox patient. Until now, there have been 89 countries in various parts of the world that have identified the existence of monkeypox.

Based on these findings, the government confirmed that it had made various preparations to procure vaccinations for monkeypox sufferers. At least, there are 10 thousand vaccines prepared.

Dr. Syahril said that basically monkeypox is not a more severe disease than Covid-19.

“The symptoms are not too severe, when compared to Covid-19, it is far,” he said.

The Ministry of Health’s report on the first patient of monkeypox in Indonesia adds to the number of cases worldwide which has reached 39,708 from 89 countries with a death toll of around 400 people.

Furthermore, the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI) through the Monkeypox Task Force or Clades PB IDI asked the public to remain calm and not panic following the direction of the Ministry of Health.

The General Chair of PB IDI, Dr. M. Adib Khumaidi, said that PB IDI continues to coordinate with the Indonesian Ministry of Health and the local Health Service, as well as Regional IDI and Branch IDI regarding the vigilance of monkeypox disease in Indonesia.

“We ask the medical team and health workers to remain vigilant and immediately report to the local Health Office if a patient is found with symptoms similar to monkeypox so that it can be immediately handled and followed up,” said Dr. Adib in a press release on Saturday (20/8/2022).

The head of the Monkeypox Task Force or Clades PB IDI, Dr. Hanny Nilasari reminded the need to maintain strict health protocols and be more active in carrying out Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS). However, there has been leeway to carry out various activities in various places.

“For those who feel symptomatic, they can immediately see the nearest doctor,” concluded Dr. Hanny.

For information, monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Initially, it was an endemic disease in the tropical rainforests of central and western Africa.

However, it is no longer an endemic disease in the area. In recent months, monkeypox has spread rapidly in more than 100 countries around the world.

Monkeypox is a rare disease triggered by the monkeypox virus. The illness usually begins with flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.