Malaria outbreak kills 12 in Riau<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau<\/p>\n
A malaria outbreak has hit Mandah district in the Riau regency of
\nIndragiri Hilir over the past two weeks, claiming at least 12
\nlives.<\/p>\n
A Mandah resident, Afriati, told Antara on Saturday that
\npeople in the subdistrict were living in fear as the disease,
\nwhich is transmitted by certain mosquitoes, had spread quickly.<\/p>\n
She said her father was now in the hospital with the illness,
\nwhich has also affected many of her neighbors.<\/p>\n
\"We are afraid of the disease as it has killed some of my
\nneighbors,\" Afriati, a mother of three children, said.<\/p>\n
Local health officials said the malaria outbreak initially
\naffected Telaga Besar subdistrict, before it spread to
\nneighboring subdistricts of Batang Sari and Pancur.<\/p>\n
The three subdistricts are isolated due to poor transportation
\ninfrastructure, hampering medical aid deliveries from the local
\nhealth office.<\/p>\n
Head of the health agency, Masykur Abdullah, said 47 people
\nwere now being treated at a community health center in Belaras
\nsubdistrict.<\/p>\n
He said his staff was informed about the outbreak by residents
\nof the areas affected. The people had suspected that the outbreak
\nwas caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).<\/p>\n
\"The people reported a SARS case in their village and nobody
\ncame to help the person for fear of being infected with the
\ndeadly disease,\" Masykur said.<\/p>\n
A health official finally came to the village, using a face
\nmask. It was the official who found that malaria had hit the
\narea,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The health agency has conveyed 300 blankets and food
\nsupplements to residents in the three subdistricts to prevent the
\nmalaria outbreak from affecting more people.<\/p>\n
Malaria has been rampant in many parts of the country.
\nVillages in Minahasa, Bolaang Mongondow and Sangihe Talaud
\nregencies recorded over 450,000 malaria cases last year, while in
\nMenoreh highlands, the Central Java area prone to malaria the
\nmost, the disease affected almost 15,000 people last year.<\/p>\n
Malaria can be fatal if treatment comes too late.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaria-outbreak-kills-12-in-riau-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }