88 Cases of Direct-Contact Mpox Found in Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Health announced that there were 88 cases of monkeypox (Mpox) in the country as of Saturday, August 17, 2024. Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Ministry of Health, Yudhi Pramono, said that 87 of these cases had been declared cured.

In terms of the weekly trend of Mpox confirmed cases in Indonesia from 2022 to 2024, the period with the most cases was October 2023.

"Of these 54 cases, all are Clade IIB variants. The majority of Clade II spread the Mpox outbreak in 2022 to date with fewer deaths and is mostly transmitted through sexual contact," Yudhi said in a statement received in Jakarta, Monday, August 19.

Of these cases, he said, 59 were spread across Jakarta, 13 in West Java, 9 in Banten, 3 in East Java, 3 in Yogyakarta and 1 in the Riau Islands.

Yudhi said 54 of the 88 cases met the criteria for whole genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the virus variant.

There are two clades of monkeypox (Mpox) viruses, namely clade I from central Africa (Congo Basin) with subclade 1a. According to him, subclade 1a has a higher case fatality rate (CFR) than other clades and is transmitted by several modes of transmission. Meanwhile, subclade 1b is mainly transmitted through sexual contact with a CFR of 11 percent.

Clade II originates from West Africa with subclades IIa and IIb with a CFR of 3.6 percent. Clade II has a low CFR with cases mostly from sexual contact during the 2022 outbreak.

Mpox is transmitted by direct contact with a purulent rash on the skin, including during sexual intercourse. He said that sexual relations between men have a high risk of transmitting the disease.

He also urged the public to use medical masks if they feel unwell. If symptoms such as a purulent rash or scabs appear on the skin, go immediately to the nearest health center, clinic or hospital.

Avoid squeezing or scratching

Skin and Venereology Specialist, Prasetyadi Mawardi said that the Mpox Clade I variants, both 1a and 1b, have not been detected in Indonesia. From 2022 until now, the variant found in Indonesia is the Clade II variant.

"According to Clade I, the mortality rate is relatively higher than Clade II, this type is usually caused by close contact, not just sexual contact," he said.

Prasetyadi urged anyone suspected of having Mpox and showing symptoms not to squeeze or scratch the skin lesions and to leave them alone. This is because these lesions, whether wet or dry, are at risk of transmitting the virus.

"Patients should also not share personal items such as towels and clothing. If there are lumps or nodules and they are injured or erosive, they should be treated immediately with medication," he said.

ANTARA

Editor's Choice: Mpox Case on The Rise, Ministry Warns Travellers to Exercise Caution

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo in Google News