“Until now, there have been no cases of mysterious acute hepatitis. Hopefully, there are none. Nevertheless, the public must still be reminded to adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle and not forget (to follow) the health protocols because the COVID-19 pandemic is still (on)," head of the Yogyakarta City Health Office, Emma Rahmi Aryani, said in Yogyakarta on Monday.
The main focus is on children given that mysterious acute hepatitis has been reported to largely affect them, she added.
Among the measures taken to anticipate cases, the Yogyakarta City Health Office has issued a circular to all schools to increase awareness about and support the implementation of a clean and healthy lifestyle.
Aryani called for the massive promotion of a clean and healthy lifestyle. People have also been asked to reduce activities that require children to interact with many people, including swimming in public areas and gathering in crowded places, since there is a risk of transmission.
She also advised people to cook their food properly, saying that the cause of the hepatitis is still unknown.
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A screening process to determine the cause of transmission is yet to be carried out, she said. “To conduct screening, obviously there must be a case first. There must be symptomatic patients. If there are no cases, screening cannot be done," she elaborated.
Head of the infectious disease control and immunization section of the Yogyakarta City Health Office, Endang Sri Rahayu, also said she is yet to receive a report of any suspected mysterious acute hepatitis case.
"The hepatitis cases found in Yogyakarta are usually types of hepatitis A or B," Rahayu added.
Generally, the symptoms of hepatitis, irrespective of the cause, are nearly the same—fever, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice, among others, she informed. A laboratory test is required to determine the type of hepatitis, she added.
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Translator: Eka Arifa R, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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