goodmorningpapua.com – The West Papua Provincial Health Office stipulated the alert status in all regions against the spread of mysterious acute hepatitis whose causes were unknown. A Head of Disease Prevention and Control Division (P2P) of the West Papua Provincial Health Office, Dr. Norma stated that this alert status was in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s instructions on the mysterious acute hepatitis.
“This alert status applies nationally, specifically for West Papua, we direct it so that every government hospital, private, to the Puskesmas to immediately report if there is an increase in hepatitis cases in the regions,” Norma said, Friday, May 6, 2022.
Furthermore, medical officers in all health service facilities (Fasyankes) are expected to actively take the initial steps by observing the characteristics of hepatitis for infants, toddlers, and children in their respective environments.
“Until now, West Papua has not reported a case of mysterious acute hepatitis. But we will be more alert by carrying out blood sample examinations of infants, toddlers, and children as an early detection step,” she said.
Norma explains acute hepatitis which is currently infecting in a number of different countries from other hepatitis because the cause is unknown. In addition, this disease is more severe and appears together very quickly.
“Generally Papua and West Papua are only recorded by hepatitis A, B, C, D, D, E. While this new case is recorded to attack children under the age of 16 years, but more ages under 10 years,” she said.
Because of the factors mentioned, the norm appealed to the public to be aware of the symptoms of acute hepatitis that have attacked children. “As for the initial symptoms of children who are attacked by this disease, he said, ranging from symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, sometimes accompanied by fever, and eye or skin color when noticed carefully will be yellow,” she said.