16 hospitalized in fresh Bogor diarrhea outbreak

JAKARTA (JP): At least 16 people are being treated at the Bogor Red Cross public hospital following the outbreak of a disease causing severe diarrhea in the regency.

According to hospital staff, apart from Bogor town residents the victims treated over the past two days come from several districts surrounding the town which is 60 kilometers south of Jakarta.

The victims from Bogor town, Ciomas, Cibinong and Ciampea range in age from 21 to 60 years old.

The head of the Bogor regency health office, Dr. Adjo Sukardjan, said diarrhea is a common occurrence during the dry season. He said areas lacking in clean water are extremely prone to diseases that cause diarrhea.

Adjo also noted the unhygienic lifestyle of the community as a major factor in outbreaks of diseases causing diarrhea.

The Bogor regency spokesperson, Denny M. Moechry, concurred that lack of proper hygiene is a major problem.

Denny revealed a study conducted by the local administration, which found that 60 percent of all patients suffering from diarrhea exhibited poor knowledge of proper hygiene.

He said outbreaks of diarrhea in the past have been frequent in communities lying along various rivers surrounding the town.

Among the most vulnerable areas are along the Ciliwung river passing through Megamendung village and the Cidurian river passing through the Cigudeg and Jasinga districts.

Despite repeated warnings residents continue to drink water from the river, Denny said as quoted by Antara.

Last year an epidemic broke out in a number of villages in the Rumpin and Jonggol districts, where the inhabitants are known to consume water from the Cimanteri river.

He further said that local authorities have called on people to drive wells to ensure access to cleaner drinking water, but these suggestions often go unheeded.

To avoid a wide-scale epidemic, Denny pleaded to the public to boil their drinking water and to avoid foods sold or prepared in unhygienic surroundings. (mds)