Jakarta [Indonesia], August 20: Amid the increase in Monkeypox cases globally, Indonesia announced its first case of the viral disease on Saturday.
As per the sources, the case has been found in 27-year-old patient returned home to Jakarta on August 8 and started to feel feverish six days later with rashes on his body, including his face, palms and feet Tuesday, Indonesian Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Syahril.
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"The tests he did on August 18 concluded that he was infected with monkeypox," Syahril told a virtual press conference.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is increasing awareness of monkeypox, adding 10 polymerase chain reaction laboratories at the country's entrances at airports and ports. According to the ministry, around 10,000 monkeypox vaccines are in the process of being procured, to be given to those with symptoms, as per the sources.
Earlier, the World Health Organisation declared the escalating global monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern."
He further said that during that meeting, the committee came to the conclusion that monkeypox was not represented as a public health emergency of international concern.
Ghebreyesus noted that at that time, as many as 3,040 monkeypox cases were reported from 47 countries and till now, over 16,000 cases were reported from 75 countries and territories. He further said that five people have died from that virus.
"In light of the evolving [monkeypox] outbreak, I reconvened the committee on Thursday of this week to review the latest data and advise me accordingly. I thank the committee for its careful consideration of the evidence, and issues," the WHO chief said.
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Earlier, World Health Organisation declared Monkeypox as global outbreak.
-PTC News with ANI inputs