IDI Warns Eid Travelers of COVID-19 and Singapore Flu

Jakarta. The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) warns travelers to stay alert to the risk of disease transmission, such as COVID-19 and Singapore flu, during the upcoming Eid exodus period.

"If you are at risk, such as being elderly or having comorbidities, you need to be self-aware and wear a mask to prevent infection," Erlina Burhan, a member of the infectious disease prevention study group at IDI said during an online discussion in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Homecoming trips would start to peak four days before Eid al-Fitr, which falls on April 10, according to the government estimate.

Every Eid holiday, Indonesians usually return to their hometowns to see their families and loved ones. According to the Transport Ministry, as many as 193.6 million people are expected to travel this year. This is equivalent to 71.7 percent of the country’s total population. The Eid exodus is about 50 percent higher than that of last year.

Erlina said the rainy season also has the potential to weaken the immune system in some individuals. Erlina stressed the importance of heightened vigilance during crowded mudik journeys to avoid contracting respiratory diseases like COVID-19 or Singapore flu, which has seen an increase in cases due to coxsackievirus infections.

Regarding coxsackievirus transmission, Erlina explained that it can occur through various modes, including direct contact with a patient's rash or droplets containing the virus touching one's mouth or oral cavity or through contaminated food.

The disease typically manifests with symptoms such as fever, cough, and sore throat, with an average incubation period of 10 to 14 days.

Fatalities due to this disease are rare, with mortality rates still lower than those of diseases like monkeypox, which range from 3 to 6 percent.

"Since there is currently no vaccine for Singapore flu, it is important to practice proper cough etiquette, minimize direct contact with others, maintain hand hygiene, and ensure overall body cleanliness by bathing daily," Erlina advised.

As of week 11 of 2024, the Ministry of Health reported 5,461 cases of Singapore flu in Indonesia.

The Ministry of Health data also reveals there were a total of 1,345 active cases of Covid-19 from January to March 2024. The COVID-19 variants circulating in Indonesia include XBB, JN.1, and Omicron EG.2, and EG.5.

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