Similar To Covid-19, ISPA Symptoms Must Be Watched This Summer

Illustration of a man who is sick (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - Recently, many people have started to complain about the hot weather in a number of areas in Indonesia. The weather in Indonesia is indeed not friendly. This condition turns out to make many people fall ill, especially respiratory problems.

Starting from coughing, runny nose, sore throat, to ISPA (ACUTE Breathing Channel Infection), cases are experiencing an increase. In fact, several people were also reported to be positive for Covid-19 again.

According to data from the DKI Jakarta Health Office, as of October 2025, there were more than 1.9 million cases of ARI in the capital city. The numbers have started to rise since July 2025 and have not shown any signs of decreasing.

Head of the DKI Jakarta Health Office, Ani Ruspitawati, said that ARI is the most handled disease at the current puskesmas. The transmission is very easy to get through splashes of saliva (droplets) or small particles in the air (aerosol), especially in crowded places or when the air is dirty.

Apparently the symptoms of ARI are very similar to Covid-19. So many people are not aware that they are having respiratory tract infections. Therefore, it is important to know the signs from the start.

Here are some symptoms of ARI that you need to be aware of, as reported by the Ministry of Health's website.

1. Cough continuously

Can cough dry or fevery. Sometimes make a sore throat and have trouble sleeping.

2.Nose stuffy or runny nose

It's hard to breathe through the nose and the voice becomes a partner.

3. Sore throat

Pain when swallowing, it's like someone stuck in the throat.

4. Fever

Body temperature rises as a natural reaction of the body to fight infection.

5. Shortness of breath

If you feel heavy or you feel shortness of breath, you should immediately see a doctor.

6. Headaches and muscle aches

The body feels sore, the neck is tense, and the head is heavy.

7.Lemas and quickly tired

The body needs extra energy to fight infection. So you easily feel tired.

8. Hoarse or missing sound

Signs of infection began to affect the sound band.

9. Colds or pain around the nose and eyes (sinuses)

Usually accompanied by a heavy feeling in the front head.

10. Food appetite decreases, nausea, or mild diarrhea

Because the body is focusing on fighting infection, the digestive system can also be disrupted. Until finally, appetite decreased until diarrhea.

How To Prevent And Protect Yourself

The good news is, you can prevent ARI with simple steps like:

- Use a mask when the air is hot, dusty, or bad air quality.

- Wash your hands regularly, especially after traveling or touching objects in public places.

- Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or cold.

- Maintain fluid intake and nutritious food so that the immune system remains strong.

- Rest is enough, especially if you start to feel unwell.