21 Suspected Cases of Mystery Hepatitis in Jakarta, also Attacks Adults

TheIndonesia.id - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria said there were 21 suspected cases of acute hepatitis found in the capital city with a record of three children have died. Cases of acute hepatitis also emerge in adults.

"Temporary data there are 21 cases that are suspected to be related to acute hepatitis. However, this is still in the process of an epidemiological investigation," said Riza Patria at Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

Although he did not provide details on the distribution of 21 cases of hepatitis, Patria explained that the disease does not only attack children but also adults. For this reason, he asks the public to adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle to prevent contracting acute hepatitis.

"Continue to implement health protocols, even though the pandemic has decreased, the symptoms have reduced, continue to carry out prokes. Second, we ask especially children who are easily infected to postpone playing in public places," he said.

Meanwhile, Patria revealed that the government has formed a special team although it had not yet formed a special task force. The team, he said, had been formed by officials and regional leaders without the need for orders from the governor or deputy governor.

"Regarding the task force, it has also become a permanent protocol (protap) in the provincial government to form a team, whether it's a task force or a team, whatever it is has become a provision. Not everything has to be ordered by the leadership of the governor, deputy governor, regional secretary," said Riza.

Interventions

Previously, Jakarta Health Office has accelerated intervention steps by strengthening early alertness to anticipate the transmission of acute hepatitis whose cause is still unknown. "So there's no need to worry. We, God willing, will accelerate intervention and localize cases if there are reports," said Head of the DKI Health Office Widyastuti in Jakarta, Monday.

The health office has monitored or supervised 17 infectious diseases including hepatitis since 2002 which were reported to every hospital or health facility. "So whatever infectious diseases that have the potential to be caught, we have to catch them as initial information for investigation and security measures. That's first from the strengthening side," she said.

The second step, she continued, considering that clinically and epidemiologically, cases of acute hepatitis, which are still mysterious, are different from other types of hepatitis, Health Office coordinates with the Ministry of Health and professional organizations. The coordination, she said, was in the context of compiling guidelines and guidelines for medical officers in the field.

The government has also disseminated early warnings to the heads of hospitals and health centers in DKI, including management according to temporary standards. Although the three cases of death are suspected to be caused by acute hepatitis that attacks children, Widyastuti has not been able to conclude the pattern of the disease.

On the other hand, Widyastuti asked the public not to panic about the emergence of acute hepatitis cases as long as they apply clean and healthy living behavior (PHBS) to prevent the disease. "There's no need to panic, but always PHBS, wash your hands with running water and soap, after defecating and when you want to eat," said Widyastuti.