Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Positive cases of monkey pox discovered by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia continue to increase. Most recently, one patient from Bandung, West Java was confirmed positive for monkey pox.

With the addition of this new case, there have been a total of 21 positive cases of monkey pox in Indonesia since it was first discovered in August 2022.

“There are now 21 cases of monkeypox. Apart from Jakarta and South Tangerang, there was one case found in Bandung,” said Head of the Ministry of Health’s Communications and Public Services Bureau, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, as quoted by CNN Indonesia, Tuesday (31/10/2023) .

The number of cases of monkey pox is predicted to reach 3,600 by the end of the year

The trend of increasing cases of disease caused by the monkeypox virus will continue. In fact, a number of epidemiologists, or experts in the field of investigating the pattern and spread of a disease, predict that the number of confirmed monkeypox patients could reach 3,600 cases by the end of this year.

So, what is driving the increase in cases of monkey pox in Indonesia?

The Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, said that the culprit behind the increasing trend of monkey pox in the country was mobility which had returned to normal after the pandemic ended.

Please note, according to the Ministry of Health’s report, all monkey pox patients in Indonesia are men who have a history of same-sex sexual relations.

“Last year it was still Covid…, maybe the group had not yet met, it was still rare,” said Dr Maxi, in an online press conference last week.

Three steps to prevent yourself from contracting monkey pox:

1. Avoid close skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkey pox.
   • Do not touch the rash or scabs of someone who has monkey pox
   • Do not kiss, hug, hug, or have sex with someone with monkey pox.
2. Avoid contact with objects and materials used by the patient.
   • Do not use the same eating utensils or cups as someone with monkey pox.
   • Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of someone who has monkeypox.
3. Wash your hands often.
   • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after using the bathroom.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(hsy/hsy)