With the A H1N1 influenza beginning to spread within the local population and infections not only from abroad, the disease could now spread more quickly, an official warned here on Tuesday.

Data from the Health Ministry showed that of the 561 confirmed A H1N1 infected patients as of Monday, the majority had not been outside Indonesia before contracting the disease.

“The problem is that many people do not have clean and healthy lifestyle habits, which allows H1N1 to spread more quickly because it is now transmitted from human-to-human at the community level,” Andi Muhadir, the director of surveillance of epidemology and immunization at the ministry, told reporters on Tuesday.

“The H1N1 virus could spread easily to infect any people, anytime and anywhere.”

Around 90 percent of those confirmed infections were Indonesian citizens and the rest were foreigners, Andi said.

The ministry data showed that only 23 percent of those infected had travelled abroad recently. It also revealed that half were aged between 16 and 45.

However, Andi reminded the public not to panic about H1N1 because of its low mortality rate (0.4 percent).

“There is no need to panic about this virus, but the public should beware of human-to-human transmissions,” he said on the sidelines of a Bakrie Telecom event.

Bakrie Telecom, a local cell phone operator, has made use of its product by launching a campaign to boost public awareness to prevent the spread of A H1N1.

Under the program, subscribers to Esia (Bakrie Telecom’s flagship product) can send text messages to 888 to get information about the virus, nearby hospitals and names of medicines. Subscribers can also make calls to 8481 for consultation about H1N1 cases.

“We know H1N1 spreads very quickly, but public understanding is still limited. We want to help educate the public about the virus and preventive measures,” the company’s president director, Anindya Bakrie, told reporters.

Anindya, who suffered from H1N1 during his recent trip to the US last week, said people could also obtain masks free of charge from Esia counters across the country.

Four Indonesians have reportedly died from A H1N1 symptoms since the first case emerged here on June 24. But the ministry has confirmed  that only one victim died from the A H1N1 virus.

On Tuesday, the ministry reported 58 new cases of H1N1 flu infection, bringing the total number of cases in Indonesia to date to 619.

It revealed new cases in nine provinces: Bali (2), Banten (8), Jakarta (4), East Java (16), West Kalimantan (1), South Kalimantan (10), East Kalimantan (4), Lampung (12), Riau (1) and West Nusa Tenggara (1).

Four of the patients had recently returned from trips abroad.

“West Kalimantan and West Nusa Tenggara have recorded their first cases of H1N1 infection,” said Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the ministry’s director general for disease control and environmental health. (hdt)

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