Indonesia Confirms Mysterious Pneumonia has Entered in Jakarta

HEALTH - JAKARTA. The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has reported a case of mycoplasma pneumonia in Jakarta. In response to this, Epidemiologist from Griffth University Australia, Dicky Budiman said that this mycoplasma pneumonia case will not cause a pandemic. 

However, he said that this finding could spread in China and other countries if the government is slow in responding to the mycoplasma pneumonia case. 

"The risk is also the same as in China and other countries, it could experience a similar surge in children if not mitigated with primary vaccination, including a booster and other strategies," Dicky told Kontan.co.id, Tuesday (5/12). 

Dicky mentioned that in Indonesia itself, pneumonia management already has a vaccine, namely the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV). Therefore, he asked the government to socialize the obligation of this vaccine to prevent further transmission. 

In addition, he said that the same thing can be applied in handling COVID-19, which is with the 5M strategy such as washing hands, wearing masks, keeping distance, avoiding crowds, and reducing mobility. 

Previously, the Head of the Bureau of Communication and Public Services, Siti Nadia Tarmizi said that her party had received a direct report from the Jakarta Health Office regarding mycoplasma pneumonia today, Tuesday (5/12). 

However, Nadia said that until now she has not yet received detailed data on how many children are affected. 

"We received verbal information from the Jakarta Health Office today that confirmation will be made by the Jakarta Health Office to the concerned hospital and at the same time specimen collection," Nadia explained. 

Nadia assured that this finding would not cause a pandemic. Because the transmission and death rates are much lower than Covid-19. 

In addition, she also said that the Public Health Organization itself does not declare this disease as a public health emergency. 

It is known, in recent times, that the mycoplasma pneumonia bacteria has become a public discussion because it is suspected to be the trigger of a mysterious outbreak in children in China. 

On November 13, China reported a surge in child pneumonia cases. The increasing caseload has caused long queues and very exhausting waiting times at children's hospitals in cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, and Liaoning.