Jakarta (ANTARA) - The DKI Jakarta Health Service reported that as of November 7, some 29 active positive cases of monkeypox (mpox) were identified in the capital city.

"In November 2023, there were a total of six new mpox cases," Head of Epidemiological Surveillance and Immunization at the DKI Jakarta Health Service, Ngabila Salama, noted in a statement on Wednesday.

She stated that the patients are mildly symptomatic males in the age bracket of 25-50 years.

Moreover, the proportion of people positive for mpox out of all those who underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for this disease reached 25 percent, Salama pointed out.

"The virus was transmitted through sexual contact," she added.

Salama remarked that all mpox patients in Jakarta are currently being isolated in hospitals.

In addition, seven people were suspected of exhibiting mpox symptoms, she revealed.

Meanwhile, as many as 92 people showed negative results in their PCR tests, Salama stated.

Related news: Jakarta monkeypox cases mostly HIV positive: Official

She then reported that achievement of the mpox vaccination target had reached 100 percent.

"The total number of vaccination recipients is 495 people out of the target of 495 people," she remarked.

On November 6, Salama said that her side would continue to monitor the development of mpox in Jakarta and Indonesia until November 24, 2023.

This monitoring is conducted on the basis of predictions of the mpox virus incubation, calculated from the longest incubation period times two, or six weeks from October 13 -- the date the first case was discovered.

Monitoring of mpox cases will be conducted at busy places with high mobility and activity, she stated.

Her side also ensures that all health facilities, from community health centers (puskesmas) to regional general hospitals (RSUD), are prepared to treat mpox patients.

"Treatment of mpox will be free of charge," Acting Head of the DKI Jakarta Health Service, Ani Ruspitawati, stated.

In addition, her side is aggressively conducting contact tracing to break the chain of mpox transmission as well as monitoring groups at risk of infection.

Related news: Mpox cases are spread across Jakarta, Banten, West Java: ministry

Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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