Monkeypox occurrences in Indonesia have extended to five provinces, said the Health Ministry.
“The total has reached 51 confirmed cases, including 30 patients who have recovered,” said Siti Nadia Tarmizi, the head of the Ministry’s communications and public services bureau. Other cases were detected in West Java (6), Banten (5), Riau (1) and East Java (1).
Some cases were accompanied by other diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis, added Tarmizi. Meanwhile, the work to prevent new cases is hampered by the minimal number of vaccine doses, Xinhua news agency reported.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox (MPX) is a rare viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the group of Orthopox viruses (same family of smallpox). The viral transmission of monkeypox in humans occurs via close contact (body fluids, blood, lesions, and respiratory droplets) with an infected person/animal or their contaminants.
The monkeypox case in Indonesia was first detected this year on October 13, in a resident who had just returned from a trip to various countries. Epidemiologists estimate the number of cases could multiply to 3,600 cases a year if without any interventions.
Source: IANS
