Tribunnews.com Reporter, Aisyah Nursyamsi
TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA – The current existence of Monkeypox can’t be called as pandemic. Why?
This reason is given by Griffith University Epidemiologist Dicky Budiman.
“Because to become a pandemic, there are other conditions. Generally, what becomes a pandemic has the character of a Novel Virus. So a new virus or bacteria that has the ability to infect globally,” he told Tribunnews, Wednesday (13/7/2022).
Also read: Study: Monkeypox sufferers have the potential to transmit high viral loads
The first is to have a Novel Virus character. Meanwhile, according to Dicky, Monkeypox’s current situation is not like that. Second, this virus is relatively new.
Because of this novelty, the majority of humans do not have immunity. So naturally more effective impact and spread. Because there are no people who have immunity.
On the other hand, currently Monkeypox can be protected with the Smallpox vaccine. These are some of the things that make Mongkeypox a fairly small chance to become pandemic.
However, according to Dicky Monkeypox, it has been declared a Public Health Emergency International Concern (PHEIC). This is because Monkeypox has met three conditions.
Also read: Monkeypox cases in Europe tripled, contributing 90 percent of total global cases
First, the occurrence is unusual or unpredictable in advance.
Second, there is the potential to spread between countries and continents. Third, global cooperation is needed to deal with this disease.
And this situation, said Dicky, needs to be taken seriously. According to him, several countries currently seem normal in dealing with Monkeypox.
“Even though it is dangerous. I remind you that when it becomes a case in the community, it is extraordinary, it will be difficult. It tends to become endemic,” he said.
When Monkeypox has spread in the community, it takes a long and very strong program to get rid of the virus.
Monkeypox contagion is very effective. Even for washing clothes or physical contact, it needs specific cleaning. Don’t just use soap and water.
“Unlike Covid-19, this makes it spread very quickly if it is in a group,” he concluded.
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