Denpasar. The Denpasar Health Quarantine Center (BBKK) in Bali has implemented body temperature checks for passengers arriving from abroad to prevent the spread of the monkeypox (Mpox) virus.

"Passengers with a temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius will undergo further examination," said Anak Agung Ngurah Kusumajaya, Head of the Denpasar Health Quarantine Center, on Wednesday.

These checks use automatic thermal scanners installed in the international arrivals terminal at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. Ngurah Kusumajaya also urged airlines and airport staff to report any sick or feverish passengers or crew to the Health Quarantine Center at the airport.

The temperature checks are part of a response to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024.

"Bali, as a global tourist destination, is at risk for Mpox transmission," he added.

The Health Ministry has stated that mass vaccination for Mpox in Indonesia is not yet necessary, as WHO has not recommended it.

\Siti Nadia Tarmizi, Acting Head of the Ministry’s Communication and Public Service Bureau, said on Thursday, that the vaccine is currently prioritized for high-risk groups. Regarding the availability of the Mpox vaccine, she assured that the current stock is sufficient for this year, and there is no urgency to increase the supply.

The WHO recommends "targeted vaccination" instead of mass vaccination in areas where the Mpox virus has been detected, emphasizing that controlling the spread of Mpox is more manageable than dealing with Covid-19.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said that vaccines are recommended for those known to have been exposed to the virus, advising them to receive it within four days of exposure. She also recommended vaccination for healthcare workers in outbreak areas and other high-risk groups.

The Health Ministry has prepared a total of 4,450 doses of Mpox vaccine for 2,225 individuals, with two doses per person, as a preventive measure against the virus.

Mpox can spread through direct skin-to-skin or mucosal contact, including sexual contact. Transmission via droplets usually requires prolonged close contact, so household members or those in close contact with an infected person are at higher risk.

As of Aug. 15, there have been 88 cumulative cases of Mpox reported in Indonesia, with cases distributed across DKI Jakarta, Banten, West Java, DI Yogyakarta, East Java, and the Riau Islands.

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