Four young children die in West Sumba measles outbreak<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post\/Kupang<\/p>\n
A measles outbreak has affected hundreds of children in West
\nSumba regency in eastern Indonesia over the past two weeks,
\nclaiming the lives of four children. The outbreak prompted the
\nlocal administration to name it an extraordinary incidence and
\nrelated agencies have been called on to curb the disease.<\/p>\n
The disease has attacked mostly five-year-old children since
\nAug. 11. At least 116 toddlers in nine villages of Kori, Homba
\nKaripit, Wailabubur, Mangganipi, Bukembero, Billa Cenge, Waiholo,
\nNoha and Kelembu Kahadan Hoha Wungo in Kodi district, are still
\nreceiving treatment. Despite the scale of the epidemic, there has
\nbeen no clarification from the local health office about the
\ncause of the acute and highly contagious viral disease.<\/p>\n
Head of the West Sumba Health Office, Marthen Caley, said on
\nThursday in Waikabubak that his office had dispatched medical
\nteams to a number of locations.<\/p>\n
Data from the office indicates that the four fatalities were
\none-year-old Daniel Ndara Magu and two-and-a-half year-old Wara
\nDeghu from Mangganipi village, and one-year-old Kodi Kabura and
\nfour-year-old Hona from Bukembero.<\/p>\n
\"More than 100 children are still being treated at the Kori
\nand Bukembero community health centers, and the Caritas Kori
\nHospital. The four children who died might have suffered from
\nmeasles, breathing problems and diarrheal complications,\" said
\nMarthen.<\/p>\n
To prevent the spread of disease, the local administration has
\nplaced the affected areas under quarantine by recording the
\nnumber of children who have contracted measles and keeping them
\nwithin their homes.<\/p>\n
\"Another method is by vaccinating babies who have not yet been
\nvaccinated,\" said Marthen.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head of the East Nusa Tenggara Health Office Stef
\nBria Seran, acknowledged the measles epidemic in West Sumba.<\/p>\n
\"The office has immediately dispatched a epidemiology team and
\nmedicine to curb the disease,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The number of children with measles is expected to increase
\nbecause the medical team is still combing the affected areas from
\nhouse to house. \"There will probably be more victims because many
\nchildren have not been immunized,\" said Stef.<\/p>\n
Measles is generally marked by cough, high fever, a red
\nblotchy rash on the face which then spreads over the entire body,
\nreddened eyes, vomiting, diarrhea and difficulty in breathing.
\nThe disease hit the area in 1992. It attacked hundreds of
\ntoddlers in Alor regency in the middle of 2004, causing 26
\ndeaths.<\/p>",
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