Post-flood disease leptospirosis kills eight<\/p>\n
Ahmad Junaidi
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
At least eight people have died following the recent floods as
\na result of a infectious disease called leptospirosis, which is
\ncarried by rats, an official said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Head of the Jakarta Health Agency A. Chalik Masulili revealed
\nthat the leptospire bacteria spread through the urine of rats,
\nwhose habitat was destroyed by the floods.<\/p>\n
Masulili said the bacteria then infected people who had skin
\nwounds when they came into contact with contaminated water and
\ngarbage. Leptospirosis causes high fever and vomiting and has an
\naverage incubation period of 10 days.<\/p>\n
\"Actually it is not a serious disease, but it can kill the
\npatients if they do not receive immediate treatment,\" he said in
\na hearing with the City Council's Commission E for social welfare
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
But, he said the mortality rate of the disease is relatively
\nhigh with an average of 7 percent for people under 50, and about
\n56 percent for people above 50.<\/p>\n
He said that most victims received treatment too late because
\nthey were not aware of the disease and thought it was just a
\ncommon fever.<\/p>\n
The eight victims were among 17 people who have been receiving
\ntreatment for the disease at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General
\nHospital.
\n One of the eight victims, identified as Tarkim Juari, died in
\nthe hospital on Feb. 14. The 55-year old man was a resident of
\nKedaung Kali Angke, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, an area hit by the
\nrecent floods.<\/p>\n
Jakarta is the eighth province in the country where the
\ndisease has spread after the floods. The other provinces include
\nWest Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The number of fatalities in other provinces due to the disease
\nin unknown.<\/p>\n
Masulili said patients who suffered from the disease could be
\ncured with antibiotics, such as penicillin, streptomycin,
\ntetracycline or erythromycin.<\/p>\n
\"A high dosage of penicillin or tetracycline is the best
\ntreatment,\" he suggested, adding that the city's 267 community
\nhealth centers have been informed of the disease and provided
\nwith the medicines.<\/p>\n
The health agency had been criticized for its inefficient
\nhealth policy and slow response to the health problems emerging
\nafter the floods.<\/p>\n
Masulili warned the public to be aware of the disease and to
\ntake preventive measures, such as washing their hands and feet
\nwith soap after cleaning their neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
He suggested people whose work was related to sanitation,
\nshould wear boots to avoid infection with leptospire bacteria.<\/p>\n
Official data showed that at least 22 people have died as a
\nresult of flood-related diseases, mostly diarrhea and
\nleptospirosis, since the floods hit the city at the end of
\nJanuary and early February.
\n The city administration has allocated Rp 11.98 billion (US$1.1
\nmillion) for a post-flood health program which will be used to
\nprovide free medical treatment and medicine.<\/p>\n
The Rp 11.98 billion is part of Rp 251 billion earmarked for
\npost-flood rehabilitation programs this year.<\/p>",
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