Indonesia closely monitors development of monkeypox

August 28, 2024 | 15:34

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting on August 27 to discuss the development of Monkeypox (mpox) in the country.

Indonesia closely monitors development of monkeypox

As of August 17, there were 88 mpox cases in Indonesia, with 59 confirmed cases in Jakarta (Photo: Antara)

Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting on August 27 to discuss the development of Monkeypox (mpox) in the country.

The President cited statistics of the health ministry that showed as of August 17, there were 88 mpox cases in Indonesia, with 59 confirmed cases in Jakarta. It was followed by West Jaca (13), Banten (9), East Java (3), Yogyakarta (3), and Riau Islands (1).

Most of the patients have recovered, but it is necessary to closely monitor the situation and take timely preventive measures. Monkeypox tends to break out in Indonesia in October because humidity during the rainy season facilitates the spread of the viruses.

The president has requested close coordination between ministries, agencies and local administrations to prevent the epidemic.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Indonesia’s mpox cases are mostly clade IIB variants with low mortality rate. The Ministry of Health is still closely monitoring the situation and has adequate medical facilities to ensure the health safety of the people.

According to Budi, monkeypox vaccine is now available so there’s no need for people to worry too much.

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The WHO on Thursday warned further imported cases of the new, more dangerous mpox strain in Europe were likely, after Sweden announced the first such infection outside Africa in an outbreak that has killed hundreds in the DR Congo.

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Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said Thursday it was ready to produce up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by 2025 after the World Health Organization declared a surge in the virus in Africa a global public health emergency.

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An mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 548 people since the start of the year, with all provinces affected by the virus, the health minister said on Thursday in a statement.

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Thailand has detected a mpox case in a tourist who is suspiciously the first case of Clade 1b infection in the Southeast Asian country, local authorities said on August 21.

By VNA

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