Jakarta, IO – Health Ministry spokesperson dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi stated the government will monitor travelers from Africa, especially Equatorial Guyana and Cameroon following cases of Marburg virus disease there.
“Those with a travel history (to affected countries) will be asked to report to a health facility when they enter Indonesia,” she said, reported BBC Indonesia, Thursday (23/2).
If the travellers experience symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, diarrhoea, a genome sequencing test will be given. “So far, no cases have been detected in Indonesia and neighbouring countries,” she added.
The transmission of the Marburg virus is not as fast as Covid-19. “It isn’t highly transmissible. Infection is through body fluids, not respiratory tract,” she pointed out.
Based on WHO report, cases of Marburg virus disease have increased since 2017. Griffith University epidemiologist Dicky Budiman said WHO in 2018 declared that the virus has the potential to become a pandemic.
“It must be taken seriously because it is potentially dangerous, in terms of mutation, animal carrier, etc,” said Dicky.
Read: Tanker transporting asphalt leaks and pollute 70km stretch of waters in North Nias
The incubation period can be up to three weeks before symptoms start to show. This means that there is longer time for the infected to transmit it to others.
“It can potentially become a pandemic because people’s mobility is very high. It can easily jump to other countries through air travel. Countries with weak health care system are at risk,” he warned. (rr)