Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting on August 27 to discuss the development of monkeypox (MPOX) in the country.
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| As of August 17, there were 88 cases of ampox in Indonesia, with 59 confirmed 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.
As of Aug. 17, there were 88 ampox cases in Indonesia, with Jakarta reporting 59 confirmed cases, followed by West Jaka (13), Banten (9), East Java (3), Yogyakarta (3) and Riau Islands (1), the president said, citing Health Ministry data.
Most patients have recovered, but it is important to monitor the situation closely and take timely preventive measures. Monkeypox outbreaks in Indonesia tend to occur in October as the humidity during the rainy season favors the spread of the virus.
The President has urged close coordination between ministries, agencies and local administration to contain the epidemic.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Indonesia's ampox cases are mostly of the Clade IIB variant, which has a low mortality rate. The Health Ministry is still closely monitoring the situation and there are adequate medical facilities to ensure people's health safety.
According to Budi, the monkeypox vaccine is now available, so there is no need for people to worry too much.
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