"There are 24 active cases of mpox, with a majority of HIV positive. There are two patients who have no comorbidities at all, while there are those who are HIV negative but with syphilis," said Ngabila Salama, head of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Immunization Section of the Jakarta Health Service, in a webinar.
She noted that patients in Jakarta had only discovered that they were HIV positive after being diagnosed with mpox.
After being diagnosed with mpox, tracing must be conducted, especially for the patient's sexual partner during the past 21 days before diagnosis to prevent the spread of the disease, Salama explained.
"The Jakarta Health Service will also carry out testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for people with mpox," she revealed.
So far, 25 mpox cases were detected in Jakarta, all were male and predominantly with mild symptoms, she said.
She added that the total number of cases was 25, and all patients were men, mostly aged 25-50 years old, with mild symptoms.
"The disease was transmitted from sexual contact. Only two cases involve individuals in the age bracket of 45-70 years," she stated.
Of the 25 cases, one person has been declared cured, while the other 24 people are active positive cases currently undergoing intensive treatment and isolation at the hospital, Salama said.
She said that mpox symptoms usually begin with a headache, followed by a fever above 38 degrees Celsius, sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes, and rash after one to three days.
The appearance of the rash is in the form of a small red rash spots, initially appearing in one area, for example, on the arms, and then spreading to the genital area, legs, and other parts of the body, she remarked.
Salama noted that these symptoms are different from chickenpox, which is usually characterized by a fever of up to 39 degrees Celsius, with a rash that appears in many forms, such as red spots and nodules that can develop in various stages.
The rash in chickenpox is generally followed by itching. Death rates from this disease are very rare, especially in children.
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Translator: Erlangga Bregas P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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