JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – DKI Jakarta Health Service (Dinkes) emphasized that no DKI Jakarta resident has been confirmed positive for measles since early 2023 until Thursday (26/1/2023).
Meanwhile, cases of measles did increase at the end of 2022.
“There are no positive laboratory confirmed cases of measles in DKI in 2023,” said the Head of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Immunization Section of the DKI Jakarta Health Office Ngabila Salama, via text message, Thursday.
Also read: Measles Cases in Jakarta Rising at the End of 2022, Health Facilities Asked to Increase Screening
He stated that there was no specific method in the process of finding measles cases in DKI.
According to Ngabila, puskesmas and hospitals (RS) report suspected measles patients to the DKI Health Office.
Blood samples from the patient were taken and examined in a laboratory belonging to the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes).
“(The patient with suspected measles) will take a blood sample to be tested at the Ministry of Health’s lab so that we know whether the measles is laboratory confirmed or not,” he explained.
Also read: Low Immunization Makes Measles Cases Spread Again
Ngabila added that there were 253 cases of measles in the capital city during 2022. This number is higher than the measles cases in the capital city in 2021.
The increase in the number of measles cases occurred because screening and immunization coverage for measles-rubella decreased during 2020-2022.
This happened because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
