Monkeypox Suspect Emerges in Central Java; Public Urged to Remain Vigilant about its Spread in Neighboring Countries

The monkeypox outbreak is spreading in several countries. However, to date, no positive monkeypox cases have been found in Indonesia.

The latest news is that the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) is monitoring a suspected monkeypox case in Central Java. The suspected patient is a 55-year-old male who is not a Foreign Traveler (PPLN).

The suspected patient is undergoing isolation in a private hospital for treatment. The patient will undergo a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to determine whether they are infected with monkeypox.

"It could just be chickenpox or another disease, not monkeypox," said Kemenkes Spokesperson Mohammad Syahril, as quoted by Katadata.co.id, Wednesday (8/3).

With the presence of this suspected case, the public is urged to remain vigilant against the spread of the monkeypox virus.

Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a state of emergency for monkeypox cases. Furthermore, the virus has been found in several Southeast Asian countries and Indonesia's neighboring countries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox cases have been found in Singapore, totaling 13 cases as of August 3, 2022. Thailand and the Philippines have reported 2 and 1 case(s) of monkeypox, respectively.

Meanwhile, Australia, a neighboring country of Indonesia, has reported 45 cases of monkeypox.

As of August 3, 2022, the global number of monkeypox cases is 26,208 in 87 countries. The highest number of monkeypox cases is still in the United States, with 6,616 cases.

It should be noted that, according to the WHO, this type of monkeypox virus was first discovered infecting monkeys in 1958, while the first case of human infection was found in 1970.

Initially, monkeypox was only found in West and Central Africa. However, the transmission of this virus continues to occur outside its original region, resulting in a surge in cases since May 2022.