Jakarta Residents Exposed To Monkeypox, Tangerang City Government Alert

Illustration of Monkeypox (ANTARA)

TANGERANG - The Tangerang City Government (Pemkot) of Banten Province has prepared vaccines as an anticipatory measure for vulnerable groups who have close contact with monkeypox or people with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

"Vaccines are available but in limited quantities, and that is prioritized for close contacts," said Tangerang City Regional Secretary Herman Suwarman as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, October 30.

He explained that currently the Tangerang City Government is conducting massive socialization and education about the dangers of Mpox disease (a disease caused by the monkeypox virus) which is carried out through the Puskesmas.

This effort was made by the Tangerang City Government to minimize the spread of the disease caused by the Mpox virus.

"So that people can also know and eventually be aware of disease transmission," he said.

In order for transmission to be prevented, Herman also appealed to the public to implement PHBS (Clean and Healthy Life Behavior) including having safe sexual intercourse, avoiding direct contact with animals or humans infected with Mpox disease.

"Also pay attention to those who have symptoms immediately to health facilities," he said.

Head of the Tangerang City Health Office, Dr. Dini Anggraeni, said Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus that can be transmitted through infected animals or people to people.

The risk of monkeypox transmission can occur through contact with blood, body fluids or lesions on the skin or mucosa, including those from infected animals.

"This virus can spread between humans and other humans through physical direct contact such as infectious wounds, coreng, or body fluids of the sufferer or indirectly. If the patient's body fluids or wounds touch contaminated objects such as clothes or bed sheets and we who are healthy touch them, they can also be infected. So, the spread is quite fast and easy," he said.

He continued, symptoms of experiencing monkeypox are the same as those of waterpox. Starting from an acute fever of 38 degrees Celsius, muscle aches, dizziness, fatigue to the onset of smallpox lesions, coreng or lumps containing water or pus in the body.

However, the difference is that monkeypox will cause swelling in the lymph nodes.

"In one to three days or more, after fever, the patient will experience a rash that starts on the face and will spread to other parts of the body. In general, this will last for two to four weeks," said Dini Anggraeni.