The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency. Therefore, the public is urged to remain vigilant.
To date, monkeypox cases have spread to 75 countries worldwide. Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 18,095 confirmed cases had been reported as of July 25, 2022.
The United States has the highest number of monkeypox cases, with 3,845. Spain is second with 3,125 cases, followed by Germany with 2,352, the United Kingdom with 2,208, and France with 1,567.
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 in Denmark when two pox-like cases appeared in a colony of monkeys kept for research, hence the name "monkeypox".
According to the Ministry of Health, the virus can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals (bites or scratches), confirmed monkeypox patients, or virus-contaminated materials (including the processing of wild animal meat).
To date, no monkeypox cases have been found in Indonesia. However, the risk of human-to-human transmission is very real, so vigilance against the possibility of its spread in Indonesia is necessary.
Meanwhile, one of Indonesia's closest neighbors that has reported monkeypox cases is Singapore. To date, there are 6 monkeypox cases in Singapore.