Council calls for vigilance against plague<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors have insisted that the
\ngovernment take anticipatory measures to avoid any possible
\nspread of pneumonic plague which has afflicted 1,500 people in
\nIndia over the last two weeks.<\/p>\n
\"Before it's too late, we have to be vigilant against any
\npossible spread of the plague because even some of our
\nneighboring countries have taken precautionary actions,\" said
\nIsmunandar, deputy speaker of city council from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) faction.<\/p>\n
Ismunandar said over the weekend that to prevent the outbreak
\nof the plague in Jakarta tight health screening at main entry
\npoints, such as the Soekarno-Hatta international airport, Halim
\nPerdanakusumah air base and the Tanjung Priok seaport, is
\nrequired on arriving Indians and travelers who recently stopped
\nover in India.<\/p>\n
Fourteen countries, including Singapore, have applied tight
\nhealth surveillance of all travelers arriving from India.<\/p>\n
Minister of Health Sujudi said on Friday that Indonesia will
\nnot bar visitors arriving from India. The death toll in India
\nrose to over 50 late last week due to the spread of the plague,
\nand Sujudi said that arrivals from India will be required to fill
\nin forms concerning the state of their health and their itinerary
\nin the country upon their arrival.<\/p>\n
The fact that there is no direct flight from India to
\nIndonesia, the minister said, is another reason for the
\ngovernment not to bar visitors from India.<\/p>\n
Any possible carrier of the plague is expected to be detected
\nat transit points in Bangkok or Singapore.<\/p>\n
The minister said, however, that he has directed all health
\noffices in Indonesia's 27 provinces and regencies to watch out
\nfor any signs of the disease, such as respiratory disorders, as
\npart of anticipatory measures to halt any possible spread of
\npneumonic plague in the country.<\/p>\n
Pneumonic plague is highly contagious and spreads between
\nhumans through contaminated sputum or breath.<\/p>\n
H.M. Djufrie, deputy speaker of city council from the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) faction, concurred with Ismunandar about
\nthe need to take preventive measures to avoid the spread of the
\ndisease.<\/p>\n
Certificates<\/p>\n
Djufrie, who is also a medical doctor, said that the
\ngovernment should consider the possibility of reintroducing the
\nold policy requiring visitors to produce health certificates to
\nofficials upon their arrival in the country.<\/p>\n
\"If it is proven that the plague endangers the people's health
\nthen the government should reintroduce a policy requiring
\ntravelers, especially Indians and those who recently visited that
\ncountry, to produce their health certificates,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soegijo, a councilor from the Golkar faction, is of the same
\nview with Ismunandar and Djufrie on the need to take anticipatory
\nmeasures against any possible spread of the disease.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is high time the government take preventive
\nmeasures against any possible spread of the disease here because
\nJakarta is one of the country's main gates,\" Soegiyo said.<\/p>\n
However, Soegijo said that the measures, such as health
\nscreening should be conducted with wisdom, \"This is needed
\nbecause not every person arriving from India is a carrier of the
\nplague,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Indian embassy in Jakarta said on Thursday that not every
\nIndian traveling abroad was a potential a plague carrier, adding
\nthat \"rampant screening of Indians landing abroad should
\npreferably be avoided\".<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the
\nkiller plague in India was not likely to spread abroad and said
\nthe outbreak was expected to be over within three weeks.<\/p>\n
The outbreak has spread from its epicenter near the western
\ncity of Surat across the country to Bombay, Calcutta and New
\nDelhi.<\/p>\n
Dr. Soeharto Wirjowidagdo, the head of the Jakarta Health
\nOffice, called on parents not to panic if their children have any
\nsymptoms similar to those of the plague, such as coughs, runny
\nnose and chills.<\/p>\n
\"Just go to the nearest clinic,\" said Soeharto, adding that
\ncertain penicillin strains, such as streptomycine, tetracycline
\nand chloramfenichol, if given between eight and 24 hours after
\nearly symptoms of the plague appeared, could treat the disease.
\n(has\/03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-calls-for-vigilance-against-plague-1447893297",
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