Dengue fever still clear and present danger<\/p>\n
Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Samarinda, East Kalimantan<\/p>\n
The dengue fever epidemic that struck the nation three months ago
\nremains a clear and present danger in some areas in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Sugiyanto, an official at the health office of East Kalimantan
\nprovincial government, said that a state of emergency had been
\nimposed in the province as of Tuesday, as the number of people
\nwith dengue fever had reached an alarming level.<\/p>\n
As of Friday last week, a total of 1,028 people in the
\nprovince had been hospitalized with dengue fever since January.
\nEighteen of them have died.<\/p>\n
\"In the same period last year, 1,951 people contracted dengue
\nfever, 31 of them died. Although the number of people with dengue
\nthis year has decreased compared to the last year's figure, it is
\nstill a formidable threat in the province,\" he said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In the province, most dengue cases were found in three major
\ncities here, namely Samarinda, the capital of the province,
\nBontang and Balikpapan.<\/p>\n
Sugianto said that the East Kalimantan provincial government
\nwould intensify efforts to combat the dengue outbreak in the
\nprovince through fogging and information campaigns on the
\nprevention of the disease. The government would also order more
\nabate powder from private companies in Jakarta. The powder is
\nsprinkled on still water that could be a potential breeding place
\nof the aedes aegypti mosquito, the carrier of dengue fever.<\/p>\n
Many dengue fever patients have been treated at hospitals in
\nthe East Kalimantan province since it hit the province three
\nmonths ago, but others have been permitted to go home.<\/p>\n
In Wahab Syahrani Hospital in the province, for example, only
\n10 people were treated last week for dengue fever. Six of them
\nwere permitted to return home on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Separately in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province, five more
\npeople were admitted to hospital with dengue fever, bringing the
\nnumber of people affected by the disease to 110 since January
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
\"Two are in Aceh Tamiang and the other three in West Aceh
\nregency,\" Mulya Hasjimy, the head of health office at the Aceh
\nprovincial administration, was quoted as saying by Antara news
\nagency.<\/p>\n
In 2002 91 people contracted dengue in 2002 and 128 people in
\n2003 in Aceh. Four of them died. Only two provinces in Indonesia
\nhave been declared dengue-free, namely South Sumatra and North
\nSulawesi provinces.<\/p>\n
Separately in East Java province, the Banyuwangi regency
\ngovernment has earmarked Rp 210 million (US$26,250) to help
\nprevent the spread of dengue fever in the area. The fund will be
\nused to finance mass fumigation in the area.<\/p>\n
A total of 62 local residents have contracted dengue fever
\nsince January this year in Banyuwangi, 13 of whom are still being
\ntreated at hospitals there.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dengue-fever-still-clear-and-present-danger-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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