VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, confirmed that there was a new suspected case of monkeypox in Indonesia.

According to him, one suspect is an Indonesian citizen (WNI) from Central Java who is 55 years old.

"A man, 55 years old, not a foreign traveler (PPLN)," said Syahril in a written statement, Wednesday (3/8/2022).

However, he refused to mention when the incident occurred when the resident experienced monkeypox symptoms.

Meanwhile, one suspect is currently waiting for a PCR test to determine whether he is actually infected with monkeypox or not.

"The monkeypox suspect is currently being treated in isolation at a private hospital in Central Java for further treatment and examination to ensure monkeypox or not. A PCR lab examination will be carried out to confirm it," he added.

Syahril also asked the public to remain calm and not panic about the new suspect.

According to him, the suspect could only be sick with ordinary smallpox. Because the symptoms of ordinary smallpox with monkeypox are almost the same.

"It could just be normal smallpox or other diseases not monkeypox," he concluded.

Previously, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) revealed that there were 9 Indonesian citizens who had just arrived from an endemic country for monkeypox. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the results of laboratory tests on nine patients with suspected smallpox status showed negative results.

"So far, there have been around nine suspects, spread throughout Indonesia. But we have tested in Jakarta and all of them showed negative results," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin after the launch of the SatuSehat Platform at the Raffles Hotel, Jakarta, Tuesday (26/7/ 2022). (RRI)