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Bali airport on alert following first monkeypox case
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Pickup drivers wait at the arrival area of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali, on March 14. (The Jakarta Post/Ni Komang Erviani)
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Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport authorities in Bali have stepped up efforts to monitor passengers arriving at the airport following the discovery of Indonesia's first confirmed case of the virus over the weekend.
Handy Heryudhitiawan, the airport’s general manager, said in a statement that the airport management has installed at least six thermal scanners to monitor the temperature of all passengers arriving in Bali.
The airport cooperates with the Health Minister's Port Health Authority (KKP) on the installation.
Handy explained that two thermal scanners were installed at the international departure gate, two units at the international arrival gate and two at the domestic departure gate.
To minimize the direct contact with the passengers, all airport officers have also been directed to always be wearing masks, he said
"We also routinely conduct disinfection in our facilities that are most used by passengers, including trolleys, chairs in the waiting room and self-check-in counters,” Handy added.
Despite the first infection news, Handy said the airport has yet to see a negative impact on the arrival of tourists into Bali.
As of Aug. 22, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport had served 913,988 passengers this year with an average of 41,545 passengers per day. In July, the average number of arrivals amounted to 42,460 passengers per day.
"Indeed, the arrival of tourists per day in August has slightly decreased, but August is generally a low season period for tourism," Handy said.
On Saturday, Indonesia announced its first confirmed monkeypox infection, detected in an Indonesian national who had traveled to Europe, which has confirmed cases of this illness, from late July to early August.
According to the Health Ministry, the patient, a 27-year-old male, began showing symptoms on Aug. 11. He visited a health facility in Jakarta on Thursday, where he was tested for monkeypox.
He was confirmed positive for monkeypox late on Friday and showed mild symptoms, including a fever, swollen lymph nodes and a rash. The ministry reported that he has since been self-isolating at home.
Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Syahril has called on the public to remain calm as most people who were infected with the monkeypox virus recovered within a few weeks without the need for treatment. "Practice good hygiene and a healthy lifestyle to prevent not only monkeypox but also other contagious diseases," he said.
The ministry has tested 22 other suspected cases across the country, all of which have been found negative.
A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the African countries to which it is endemic. Cases have involved mainly, but not exclusively, men who have sex with men.
The WHO declared the situation an international public health emergency on July 23. So far, more than 39,700 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in 86 countries across the globe.
As of Tuesday, 12 deaths from monkeypox had been reported to the WHO. (dre)
