JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has confirmed that no cases of Ebola have been found in Indonesia so far, but it has still increased vigilance in response to the declaration of the Ebola outbreak in Congo as a World Health Emergency of Public Health Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO.
The Head of the Ministry of Health's Public Communication and Information Bureau, Aji Muhawarman, said that the WHO's emergency status designation showed the need for global vigilance, even though the spread of the virus had not been categorized as a pandemic. This step was taken because of the cross-regional spread, high mortality rate, and still uncertainty about the extent of the outbreak in Central Africa.
"The Ministry of Health continues to monitor the global situation and strengthen cross-sectoral vigilance. We ensure that all country entrances, both ports and airports, increase surveillance of travelers, especially those from affected countries," said Aji as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 19.
Based on official data, he said, the outbreak in Ituri Province, RD Congo, was caused by the Bundibugyo type Ebola virus. As of May 16, 2026, 246 suspected cases were recorded, including 8 confirmed cases and 80 deaths, with a mortality rate of 32.5 percent," he said.
In addition to RD Kongo, he said, cases related to travel have also been reported in Kampala, Uganda, and Kinshasa due to high population mobility and limited health facilities in the region.
Aji explained that concrete steps taken include the deployment of health workers in the field, strengthening the screening of travelers, and the preparation of referral procedures to international standard hospitals if passengers with symptoms leading to Ebola are found.
All reports from the country's entry points will also be integrated for 24 hours through the Early Warning and Response System (SKDR) and the Public Health Emergency Operation Center (PHEOC).
"The capacity of the national laboratory has also been fully alerted to support rapid detection and early response," he added.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Health asked the public to remain calm and not easily influenced by invalid or hoax information related to Ebola circulating on social media. Education about this disease is considered important so that the public has the right understanding.
"Ebola is an infectious viral disease that can cause death with an average fatality rate of 50 percent. Currently, there are three types of virus strains that often cause outbreaks, namely Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Sudan Virus Disease (SVD), and currently developing in Congo, namely Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD)," explained Aji.
Transmission of the Ebola virus occurs through direct contact with blood, body fluids, or objects that have been contaminated by infected humans or animals. The virus can enter the body through broken skin or mucous membranes.
Symptoms of the disease usually appear suddenly with an incubation period of 2 to 21 days, including fever, body weakness, muscle pain, headache, which can then develop into vomiting, diarrhea, to bleeding. Until now, there is no specific treatment that is widely used, while the existing vaccine is still limited to handling outbreaks in Africa.
As a self-protection measure, the Ministry of Health appeals to the public to strengthen the Healthy and Clean Living Behavior (PHBS).
Special appeals were also made for citizens who had just returned from travel to affected countries such as RD Congo and Uganda. They are asked to immediately go to the nearest health facility if they experience fever or bleeding within 21 days of returning. Honesty about travel history is considered very important to help break the chain of transmission.
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