The Lab Results Of The Suspected Monkeypox Patient In Makassar Are Negative

ILLUSTRATION/Airplane passengers crossing a thermal scanner upon arrival at Terminal 2 of Juanda Airport Surabaya/ANTARA FOTO/Umarul Faruq

MAKASSAR - The South Sulawesi Health Service (Dinkes) released the results of laboratory tests (lab) on two suspected monkeypox patients in Makassar, South Sulawesi, which were declared negative.

"Yes, they have confirmed that monkeypox was negative from the laboratory results we received," said the Head of the Disease Prevention and Management (P2P) Division of the South Sulawesi Health Office, Dr. Erwan Tri Sulistyo, in Makassar, as reported by ANTARA, Friday, August 26.

He explained that vigilance at the hospital level to health centers in various areas in South Sulawesi will continue to be carried out as an effort to prevent the spread because the monkeypox virus has penetrated Indonesia.

"When there is a suspected monkeypox, an immediate examination and monitoring of the family can be carried out so that it can be immediately prevented from spreading if confirmed positive," he said.

The community is expected to be able to report immediately if there are family, relatives and neighbors with symptoms similar to monkeypox so that the puskesmas officers can immediately provide treatment and take samples for diagnosis and prevention.

As an effort to prevent monkeypox, the Health Office appealed to the people of South Sulawesi to maintain health protocols, especially the use of masks.

"The monkeypox virus is almost the same as COVID-19, the transmission is also fast, so Clean and Healthy Lifestyle Behavior (PHBS) is very important to prevent this virus," said Erwan Tri Sulistyo.

The head of the Makassar Health Office, Nursaidah Sirajuddin, said that she was relieved because the two patients suspected of having monkeypox turned out to be just normal chickenpox.

The two patients, he said, had been treated by dermatologists and internal medicine specialists.

"The results are out and it turns out it's just normal chickenpox. Now it's been treated by a dermatologist and surgeon to confirm his condition and recovery," he said.

Previously, a patient suspected of having monkeypox or monkeypox was treated at the Hasanuddin University Teaching Hospital (RSP). While one other patient is being treated at the Labuang Baji Hospital, Makassar.