Depok Urged to Strengthen Mitigation Efforts Against Potential Monkeypox Outbreak

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Political and public policy observer Yusfitriadi stated that Depok City must be extra vigilant concerning the monkeypox or mpox outbreak in the city. As Jakarta's buffer city, Depok has a higher risk of an outbreak.

According to Yusfitriadi, Depok should learn from its own experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. "[The outbreak] was caused by the weak mitigation system to anticipate the [COVID-19] virus outbreak," he said on Thursday, Nov. 2.

As of now, monkeypox is detected in three regions, namely Jakarta, Banten, and West Java. However, the number of people in Jakarta who are indicated to have been infected is constantly rising.

"Certainly, this is a cause for serious attention by all parties. Especially regarding health instruments owned by the central government to regional governments," he said.

One of the forms of anticipation is mapping the potential area for a monkeypox outbreak, meaning, with the number of confirmed cases in Jakarta, buffer cities like Tangerang, Depok, Bogor, and Bekasi must increase their vigilance, mitigation, and anticipation.

"Unhealthy lifestyle of the residents and the state of the environment, and physical contact with people from which monkeypox had spread," he said. Depok has all of these characteristics, according to Yusfitriadi. Around 30 percent of Depok residents enter Jakarta each day for work or education purposes.

"This condition will create a higher risk for an outbreak in Depok compared to other regions that do not possess similar characteristics," he added. It warrants stronger mitigation and anticipation efforts, such as increasing public awareness of monkeypox and conducting observations on the residents to support the virus mitigation.

On the other hand, the Health Office of Depok through its Head of Disease Prevention and Control Department Umi Zakiati was unable to explain the steps currently taken by Depok to mitigate the risk. "There has been no confirmed case [in Depok]," she said.

RICKY JULIANSYAH

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