Jakarta, IO – Indonesia received a certificate of polio eradication in 2014. However, the Ministry of Health reportedly found three cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) caused by the type 2 polio virus, at almost the same time. Two cases were found in the provinces of Central Java and East Java with positive sequencing results for the polio virus in December 2023, while another case was in East Java on January 4, 2024.
These three cases prompted the Ministry of Health to determine an extraordinary incident (KLB) or outbreaks of polio in Central Java and East Java. It is called an outbreak if from 0 cases to at least 1 case is detected. Polio outbreaks have also been set for November 2022 in Aceh Nanggroe Darussalam, and March 2023 in West Java.
“Two cases of acute flaccid paralysis in December 2023 were caused by the polio virus with different chronologies. One case, the polio immunization was incomplete. Another had complete immunization, but the patient’s status included malnourishment,” said Dr. dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, DHSM, MARS, Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) Ministry of Health, Friday (5/1/2024).
Polio or poliomyelitis is a disease that can be prevented by immunization. The polio virus is transmitted through water contaminated with feces containing the virus. Risk factors for virus transmission are low polio immunization coverage, environmental hygiene conditions, and poor hygiene, such as open defecation either in rivers or in water sources that are also used in daily life.
“The polio virus enters the bodies of children who have not received polio immunization or whose polio immunization is incomplete. This condition makes it easy for the virus to reproduce in the digestive tract and attack the child’s nervous system, causing paralysis,” he added.
Causing Paralysis
WHO alert that polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours: a virus that may cause paralysis and is easily preventable by the polio vaccine. Polio is transmitted through contaminated water or food, or contact with an infected person.
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Many who are infected with the polio virus do not become ill, and have no symptoms. 90% of infected children only experience mild symptoms such as sore throat, fever, nausea, fatigue, headache, neck stiffness, pain in the limbs, or abdominal pain. However, some who do become ill develop paralysis, which can sometimes be fatal. Treatment includes bed rest, pain relievers, and portable ventilators.
To stop the transmission of the polio virus, the Ministry of Health urges the public to play an active role. First, the community must ensure that their children receive complete routine polio immunization according to age, namely 4 polio drops or 2 polio injections, before the age of one. Family members must also adopt clean and healthy living habits, including defecating in a latrine with a septic tank and washing their hands with soap before eating and after defecating. (est)