TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – More than a year since one previous positive case, viral infection monkey pox (Mpox) was detected again in Jakarta. The number has multiplied much, namely 16 positive confirmed cases throughout this month, until Saturday 28 October 2023, with positivity rate PCR is at 44 percent.
Number of positive cases, and positivity rate PCR, it is not impossible to increase. As of last Friday, DKI Health Department Jakarta noted that there are still 11 other people suspected of having symptoms of monkey pox and 2 are classified as probable and awaiting PCR test results.
Acting Head of the DKI Health Service, Ani Ruspitawati, explained that all 16 patients currently confirmed positive are men, aged 25-50 years. Two of the cases were patients domiciled outside DKI Jakarta.
Head of the Epidemiology and Immunization Surveillance Section of the DKI Jakarta Health Service, Ngabila Salama, confirmed that all of them had mild symptoms. But he also added that all of them “got infected from sexual contact” and are in isolation treatment in hospital.
Ani said that every positive case of Mpox that is found is immediately isolated in hospital, even for suspects with typical symptoms or close sexual contact who are waiting for PCR results. They are also isolated in hospital.
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“We are synergizing with the Indonesian Ministry of Health, a number of efforts are being made, starting from early detection by looking at early symptoms so that they can be treated immediately and prevent death,” he said, Friday.
Meanwhile, close non-sexual contact will be monitored for symptoms every day by the District Health Center. If you have symptoms, a laboratory examination will be carried out.
However, Ani added, active cases of monkey pox were not only found in close contacts, but also in suspected symptomatic patients who came to health facilities. The majority of them come from cases of secondary infection and conditions of low immunity in at-risk groups, such as men who have sex with men (MSM), pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children and the elderly.
For this group, the DKI Health Service is also carrying out preventive efforts by means of vaccination. The latest thing to be done is to prepare 1,000 doses of vaccine for a target of 500 people from risk groups in Jakarta over the next week as of Tuesday, October 24 2023.
The vaccine is given in two doses for one person with a gap between each dose of four weeks. As of last Friday, it was reported that the total number of vaccine recipients was 251 people.
The figure is still relatively far from the target, which is thought to be due, among other things, to the distribution of vaccines not yet reaching the health centers or vaccination location clinics as planned. This is as it turns out TEMPO at the Carlo Clinic in Salemba, Central Jakarta, and the Kebayoran Baru Community Health Center, South Jakarta.
Both of them revealed that there had been no monkey pox vaccination activities last Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Gambir Health Center, Central Jakarta, on the same day, revealed the existence of this activity. Unfortunately, the officers at the community health center forbade it TEMPO come in and do the coverage.
“The community health center does not allow vaccination participants to be interviewed because it is still within the scope of the community health center,” said Satrio, one of the officers. It is not known what the effectiveness of vaccine distribution and the response of recipients will be at that location.
Read the next page for details of the latest outbreak of monkey pox in Jakarta and Heru Budi’s claims
Outbreak in October
A total of one positive case was discovered on 13 and 19 October. Next, on October 21, five cases were found, then on October 23, two cases were found. Furthermore, three cases were discovered on October 24, and on October 25 and 26 two new cases each were discovered. All 16 patients are undergoing isolation in hospital.
The DKI Jakarta Health Service also noted that there were 11 suspected people (suspects) with symptoms of monkey pox, with details that on October 24 there was one person, then two people were found on October 25. Next, on October 26 five people were found and three people were found on October 27.
Claim of New Discovery of Monkey Pox by Acting Governor
Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono said he was communicating intensely with Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to monitor cases of monkey pox or Mpox. Heru also admitted that he had asked the DKI Health Office to intensively carry out tracing of the public to monitor the development of this case.
“I assigned the Health Service to create a continuous tracing team, so we will find them (confirmed monkey pox patients),” said the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, October 23 2023.
Trisula DKI Fights Monkey Pox
The Provincial Government (Pemprov) through the DKI Jakarta Health Service claims to be intensively carrying out detection, prevention and rapid response efforts. The goal is to prevent the spread of the monkey pox virus infection from becoming more widespread.
Ani Ruspitawati said early detection was carried out together with the Ministry of Health. They track early symptoms so they can be treated immediately and prevent death.
Furthermore, to assist with PCR examinations carried out at the Health Development Policy Agency (BKPK) Laboratory of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the DKI Health Service has prepared the DKI Jakarta Regional Health Laboratory (Labkesda).
Patients who are confirmed positive after a PCR test will immediately undergo a follow-up Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) examination to obtain genetic information regarding the origin of the disease and its spread in the community.
As a preventive measure, apart from vaccination, there is massive socialization and education.
It is said that preventing contracting monkey pox can be done in three ways, namely (1) promoting a clean and healthy lifestyle, such as wearing a mask and washing hands with running water and soap, (2) avoiding skin contact and wounds, (3) having safe sexual relations. , healthy and clean, and avoid sexual relations if you are sick or have symptoms.
The quick response that has been carried out by the DKI Jakarta Health Service is to prepare hospital isolation rooms, prepare antiviral drugs, and actively coordinate with experts at vertical hospitals regarding case management.
Viruses, Transmission, and Medicine for Monkey Pox
Monkey pox is a type of disease caused by a virus from the genus Orthopoxvirusfamily Poxviridae. The original virus was transmitted among monkeys in Central and West Africa as an endemic area (zoonotic disease, aka jumping from animals to humans).
Monkey pox usually has mild symptoms with most people recovering without treatment within a few weeks. But in Africa, it can cause death in 1 in 10 people infected. This is usually for infection with the monkeypox virus variant from the Congo. Meanwhile, the West African variant is deadly in 1 in 100 cases.
According to WHO, children have a greater chance of becoming seriously ill from this viral infection than adults.
Male, 38 years old, from Nigeria, positive for monkeypox disease. Source: The Straits Times
According to WHO, monkey pox can be transmitted through exposure to large droplets produced when sneezing or coughing and also via direct contact with infected or contaminated skin wounds. Even though it is impressive that it can be transmitted through the air, WHO does not use the term airborne for the monkey pox virus.
Like smallpox, monkey pox can also be transmitted through contact with clothing, towels or bedding used by an infected person. The virus is not transmitted through sexual intercourse but through skin contact during sexual intercourse.
There was no information from Ani or Ngabila regarding the drugs and vaccines used. However, the antiviral drug tecovirimat (Tpoxx) has been widely circulated in Europe for monkey pox, smallpox and cowpox. The same drug is only permitted for smallpox in the US.
For vaccines, there is something called Jynneos (Imvanex and Imvamune), which has received marketing authorization to prevent monkeypox and smallpox in people over 18 years old.
LAYLA AISHYAH
Read news articles about the monkey pox case in Jakarta here.
2023-10-28 21:00:00
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