Ministry Of Health: Symptoms Of 8 Cilandak Residents Lead To Cikungunya

Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (Dirjen P2P) of the Indonesian Ministry of Health Maxi Rondonuwu (Via ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (Dirjen P2P) of the Indonesian Ministry of Health Maxi Rondonuwu said the symptoms of fever and red patches on the skin experienced by residents of Cilandak, South Jakarta, led to suspicions of chikungunya.

"Updates for the South Cipete Village, Cilandak, we are currently doing swabs to mice in the context of early warning for diseases that have the potential to be transmitted by rats," said Maxi Rondonuwu after attending the commemoration of the 2022 National Elderly Day (HLUN) at the Indonesian Ministry of Health Ceremony Field, Jakarta, Antara , Friday, June 3rd.

He said the Ministry of Health received reports that eight residents in RT08 and RT10 RW02, South Cipete, Cilandak, South Jakarta (Jaksel), were exposed to the virus which is suspected to have been transmitted from rats.

According to Maxi, the patient had been exposed since April 2022 and currently all have been declared cured after undergoing treatment at the nearest hospital.

Maxi said the team from the Ministry of Health had conducted an epidemiological investigation at the scene by examining patient specimens and rats taken via swabs.

"It turned out that the eight residents were more likely to have chikungunya," he said.

However, to confirm this further, the Ministry of Health is still waiting for the results of the report on the rat specimen, which is currently still being examined by the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) laboratory team.

At the same event, Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the government continues to increase awareness of the risk of diseases transmitted by animals to humans through a one health approach between the environment, humans and animals.

"Some viruses do jump from animals to humans. We are building a system of cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture against all existing viruses," he said.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture will carry out joint surveillance of the risk of disease transmission from animals to humans. "Don't panic too much, like the black death epidemic hundreds of years ago," he said.