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Indonesia steps up preventive measures against Zika virus
A city worker fumigates a public school to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, known to transmit dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday
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A city worker fumigates a public school to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, known to transmit dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday. The World Health Organization has declared a global emergency over the explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects in the Americas. Honduras is now reporting 3649 confirmed cases of Zika infections and has also declared a state of national emergency. (AP/Fernando Antonio) (AP/Fernando Antonio)
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span class="inline inline-center">A city worker fumigates a public school to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, known to transmit dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday. The World Health Organization has declared a global emergency over the explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects in the Americas. Honduras is now reporting 3649 confirmed cases of Zika infections and has also declared a state of national emergency. (AP/Fernando Antonio)
Indonesia will step up preventive measures against the Zika virus after the World Health Organization (WHO) declares a global emergency over its spread.
"I emphasize the anticipatory measures and steps that should become synergistic action across all sectors," said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in a limited Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The supervision at the entrance of the country also needs to be improved to prevent the possibility of this virus being brought in from countries where it exists, the President added.
Jokowi reminded the need for early detection as an initial step to monitor the virus' spread through bites from the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector for dengue. Therefore, Jokowi continued, a campaign to mobilize the public in fighting against mosquitoes should be strengthened.
"Educate the community in preventing the virus' spread and provide a warning to citizens who want to visit the countries that are already infected with the Zika virus," he stated.
Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani stated that the anticipatory measures for the Zika virus are similar to those deployed for dengue fever, centering on eliminating potential mosquito breeding places such as those found in bathtubs, sinks and water tanks.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek said the government had warned Indonesian nationals against traveling to areas prone to the virus. "We do not give a travel warning, but a travel advisory. The people who want to go abroad to endemic areas should be careful, especially women who are pregnant," Nina said.
This warning is given due to suggestions that if a pregnant woman is infected, her child could be born with a devastating birth defect called microcephaly: a shrunken head and brain.
The symptoms of the Zika virus are similar to dengue fever. The most common symptoms of the Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis. The illness is usually mild with the symptoms lasting a week.
Nila explained Indonesia has a history of Zika infections dating back to 1978 and 1981. According to several studies, Zika was found in Klaten, Middle Java and West Nusa Tenggara. Nina said the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology reported a Zika infection was found among 105 dengue specimens the institute took during an outbreak in Jambi last year. (bbn)
