Beware Of Spike In Influenza Cases Amid Extreme Weather

JAKARTA Several areas in Indonesia, especially Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) experienced extreme weather changes in the past few weeks. As a result, most people's health conditions were also affected.

The weather was hot from morning to noon, often turning into heavy rain in the afternoon until evening. In the midst of extreme weather changes, most people complain of health conditions that become easily ill.

According to data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, cases of influenza and respiratory tract disorders began to increase in early October 2025, where the rainy season began to arrive.

Citing data from the Ministry of Health, in the 38th week or around early October 2025 there was an increase in influenza cases of up to 38 percent. The dominant virus subtype is influenza A.

The changing seasons, from extreme heat and then rain, cause changes in temperature and humidity that affect the body's resistance and the spread of viruses and bacteria.

This condition is exacerbated by reduced sun exposure during the rainy season so that it can reduce the production of vitamin D which plays an important role in nature in supporting endurance. Currently, one of the most attacking diseases is influenza.

Influenza and COVID-19 Case Supervision Reports throughout October-19 throughout October 2025 recorded 115 influenza cases with details of flu A (1N1) 13 cases, flu A (H3N2) 86 cases, and flu B (Victoria) 16 cases. This figure shows a significant increase compared to the previous month, which only recorded 54 cases of influenza.

Influenza A is a virus that attacks the upper respiratory tract, including nose, throat, and lungs. This virus has several subtypes such as H1N1, H5N1, and H3N2 which are currently dominating the Asian region.

Doctor Zakiyah Wirda Sari, functional doctor for the Ciputat Clinic DD, said, influenza is a disease caused by the virus from the Orthomyxovirus group consisting of three types, namely A, B, and C. Type A influenza is considered the most risky because it is easy to mutate and can transmit between species, including from animals such as birds and pigs to humans.

"Well, type A has a lot of genetic variations. Then he is also unstable, easily mutates, he has a reservoir or a place of life not only for humans, can be found in animals such as birds and pigs, so that it makes it easier for type A influenzas, especially, to spread easily and have the potential to spread the pandemic," said dr. Zakiyah in a webinar held Thursday (30/10/2025).

Transmission of influenza A can also occur directly through droplets when a person coughs or is clean, and indirectly through contaminated objects. Doctor Zakiyah said that almost everyone is at risk of getting influenza A, but at a certain age it has a higher risk, namely for children especially under the age of 5 and the elderly. Because at that age their immune system has decreased.

In addition, dr. Zakiyah also explained the difference between influenza andcommon cold which is often considered the same by the community. According to him, both are caused by the virus and have similar symptoms, but can be distinguished from the severity and the dominant symptoms.

This influenza is usually a higher fever, and its muscle aches complaints are more dominant than a common cold. Sometimes coughing with sore throat, so it gives an overview like faringitis. Meanwhile, a common cold or salesma, he is more dominant with complaints of nasal congestion, cleaning, or runny nose," he explained.

On the same occasion, the Director of Infectious Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Prima Yosephine, explained that surveillance data shows an increase in cases in various regions in Indonesia and the spike is dominated by influenza A (H3) subtypes.

"This type (Influence A) is the most and seems to have increased significantly, and this pattern is still in accordance with the seasonal influenza pattern, so indeed we can state that it will not fall into a pandemic situation, but indeed we need to take steps not to expand from the transmission of this influenza," said dr. Prima.

He said the influenza response strategy in Indonesia consisted of prevention, detection, and handling. Prevention, said dr. Prima, can be done starting from education, control of risk indicators, and immunization.

"Meanwhile, we can conduct surveys, strengthen at the entrance to the country and strengthen in the laboratory, and the handling consists of standardization of case handling, health facilities services and referral systems, capacity building of health human resources, provision of logistics, and risk communication," he explained.

Doctor Prima, who is also the Director of Immunization Management of the Ministry of Health, said that his party would make various studies in order to include influenza vaccines as part of the national immunization program.

Currently, said dr. Prima, influenza vaccines do have a distribution permit but are not yet included in the national immunization program. The implementation of influenza vaccination is still carried out independently through private health facilities.

However, dr. Prima encourages the public, especially groups who are vulnerable to getting influenza vaccines every year to get specific protection against the disease.

In addition to influenza vaccination, a clean and healthy lifestyle, washing hands with running water and soap, as well as wearing masks, can help prevent the spread of influenza A disease.

"Using masks for people who already have coughs, have flu, wear masks, then apply coughing and sneezing ethics when we are in the middle of a crowd, then indeed there has been immunization or vaccination for this influenza," he said.