Jakarta Health Office Recommends Face Masks In Crowded Areas To Prevent TB Spread

JAKARTA, March 27 (Bernama) -- In response to last year’s report of 60,420 tuberculosis (TB) cases in the capital city, the Jakarta Health Office is recommending that residents wear face masks in crowded places to reduce the risk of spreading TB or dry cough.

The head of the office, Ani Ruspitawati, stressed that TB germs could stay in the air for hours when someone with TB coughs or sneezes without covering their mouth.

“These germs can spread into the air in droplets,” she stated, as quoted by Antara news agency.

Ani also advised individuals with symptoms like persistent coughing, fever, runny nose, and weight loss to seek prompt medical attention.

Other symptoms to watch out for include haemoptysis (coughing up blood), loss of appetite, and sweating at night without engaging in much activity.

Indonesia ranks as the world’s second most affected nation by tuberculosis, closely trailing India and followed by China, according to the Global TB Report 2023.

With an estimated 1.06 million cases, Indonesia faces a significant burden of TB, resulting in about 134,000 deaths annually, as stated in the report.

The Ministry of Health reported an increase in TB cases to 820,789 last year, the highest since 1995, including 134,528 cases diagnosed in children, up from 724,000 cases in 2022.

On Wednesday, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pledged to provide TB preventive treatments to 145,070 people in Indonesia, valued at US$1.52 million (US$1=RM4.71).

USAID Indonesia’s mission director Jeff Cohen, in a statement, said: “We continue working together to save lives and eliminate TB in Indonesia by 2030.”

The agency has contributed US$4.7 billion since 2000, helping to save over 75 million lives in the fight against TB globally.

-- BERNAMA