TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Public Health Agency head Koesmadi Priharto considered the diphtheria spread in Jakarta as an extraordinary event.

“Yes, it’s an extraordinary event,” said Koesmadi during a press conference at the Jakarta City Hall on Friday, December 8.

Koesmadi then explained that the status was issued after two patients with diphtheria died in Jakarta.

“One death is enough to consider it as an extraordinary event,” said Koesmadi.

Read: Breaking News: 22 Children in Jakarta Infected with Diphtheria

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan added that the alert status is given to a city if the number of cases exceeds the previous year. Last year, there were 17 diphtheria-related cases in Jakarta, and the number increased to 25 cases in 2017.

The increasing number of diphtheria cases in Jakarta was caused by the spiking number of patients in Tangerang District, which is in the Greater Regions of Jakarta.

To avoid further spread of the infection, Anies Baswedan and the Jakarta Public Agency will rolled out a mass immunization program through several phases for the entire Jakarta region, which also includes Seribu Islands.

Read: Govt to Hold ORI in Preventing Widespread Diphtheria

During the first phase that will commence on Monday, December 11, the city’s outbreak response immunization will be focused in West and North Jakarta for 1.2 million children and teenagers belong to the age group of 2-19.

Children will be given three doses of diphtheria immunizations, each will be given in the first, second, and sixth month.

FRISKI RIANA