TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Provincial Government has confirmed 59 cases of monkeypox or Mpox between October 13, 2023, and August 19, 2024, as reported by Antara.

Head of the Jakarta Health Office, Ani Ruspitawati, announced in a statement on Monday, August 26, 2024, that the 11 Mpox cases were distributed across eight sub-districts in the capital.

Despite the World Health Organization's revocation of the pandemic status for Mpox on May 5, 2023, the disease remains a concern in Indonesia, particularly in Jakarta.

Ani stated that the Jakarta Provincial Government has implemented a comprehensive prevention and control system for Mpox, including health promotion activities related to disease prevention and transmission, case reporting through hospitals and health centers, and case-control studies.

The studies have identified men aged 20-40 who work outside the home, have a homosexual or bisexual sexual orientation, and HIV or STI patients as vulnerable groups for Mpox transmission.

Ani also disclosed that the 2023 Mpox vaccination program reached 495 individuals from key populations or high-risk groups. “To date, 495 people have received the first dose of the vaccine, and 430 people have received the second dose,” she said.

The clinical picture of Mpox patients in the 2022 and 2023 outbreaks, according to Ani, included fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain, fatigue, and a rash or lesions characterized by small, whitish blisters or bubbles with a dark center.

“With the ongoing measures, it is hoped that Mpox cases in Jakarta can be minimized,” Ani added.

ANTARA

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