TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia recorded two new suspected cases of unknown acute hepatitis in children this week, adding the total number to 16. The two suspected cases were reported in Banten and South Sulawesi.

"So, the total number of the cases in Indonesia is 16, consisting of one probable case and 15 cases classified as pending," said a spokesman for the Health Ministry, Mohammad Syahril, in a virtual press conference, Tuesday afternoon, May 24, 2022.

Syahril, who is also the President Director of the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital (RSPI Sulianti Saroso) in North Jakarta, said that the two latest cases were classified as pending because they were still waiting for laboratory results for Hepatitis A-E and other pathogens. The other 13 cases came from Jakarta, Yogyakarta, West Sumatra, NTB, Bali, East Java, Jambi, and Bangka Belitung.

Three of the patients in this group had died. One patient in the probable category reported in Jakarta also died on April 19, 2022. The patient was diagnosed with non-reactive Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, and was negative for other pathogens.

Syahril mentioned that there were 11 male patients. "Most of [children suffering from the unknown acute hepatitis] are in the age group of 0-5 years, amounting to 11 patients," he added.

ANTARA

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