DKI Provincial Government Vaccines 500 Monkeypox Risks In The Next Week

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Plt. Head of the DKI Jakarta Health Office Ani Ruspitawati said that the vaccination of monkeypox or monkeypox in Jakarta will begin. Vaccination targets 500 people at risk in Jakarta over the next week.

"There are two doses of vaccine given to one person with a break of four weeks, in accordance with the availability of 1,000 doses of Monkeypox vaccine in Indonesia for 500 people. In addition, tracing/tracking was carried out with a special team with related partners," Ani said in her statement, Friday, October 27.

As of October 27, 17 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in Jakarta. The first confirmed cases were in August 2022 and now they have recovered. Meanwhile, 16 other cases were recorded from October 13, 2023 to October 26, 2023. Now, 16 active cases are still undergoing isolation in hospital.

"All have mild symptoms and are infected from sexual contact. All patients are male aged 25-50 years, two of them are domiciled outside DKI Jakarta," said Ani.

Ani explained that the active case of monkeypox was not only found in close contacts, but also symptomatic suspected patients who came to health facilities.

Then, close contacts and suspected monkeypox were examined by health workers. If it is considered to show signs and symptoms of a typical monkeypox disease, a PCR test is carried out.

Patients who are confirmed positive after the PCR test is carried out will immediately undergo further examination of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to obtain genetic information about the origin of the disease and its spread in the community.

"Every positive case is immediately isolated in the hospital, even for suspects/suspected with typical symptoms/close sexual contacts who are waiting for the PCR results to be isolated in the hospital," said Ani.

"Meanwhile, non-sexual close contacts will be monitored every day by the District Health Center. If symptomatic, lab examinations will be carried out. And every sexual close contact will be immediately isolated and lab examinations will be carried out," he added.

Furthermore, Ani explained that the death rate or case fatality rate for monkeypox cases was around 1 percent. In that sense, out of 100 positive cases, one may have died.

"The majority due to secondary infection and low immunity conditions in risky groups, such as sex men with men (NGOs), pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children, and the elderly," he explained.