563 jamboree participants get diarrhea
563 jamboree participants get diarrhea
PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): After the National Boy Scout
Jamboree 2001 had been running for two days on Thursday, as many
as 563 participants suffered diarrhea and a high fever, forcing
the organizing committee to rush some of them to nearby Margono
Sukarjo public hospital.
Deputy head of the health section of the organizing committee
Dr. Gempol Suwandono said that some of the patients had to stay
at the hospital.
A nurse at the hospital said 10 people were in a serious
condition. "They are all from outside Java," said the nurse, who
wanted to remain anonymous.
Nasir, a doctor in charge of the main health post at the
Jamboree site said that the climate had affected the
participants' condition. "And the meal they ate might not have
been as 'clean' as it should have been."
"It is 20 degrees Celsius at night at this tourist resort of
Baturraden. The climate might be unfriendly to those coming from
'hotter' areas."
He said there were 10 health posts at the Jamboree site. "Each
post has two doctors and seven paramedics in attendance every
day."
The Jamboree programs ran smoothly, despite participants'
complaints about the disappearance of water faucets and toilets.
The organizing committee had yet to buy replacements.
Security is a matter of concern at the Jamboree ground.
The second day of the boy scouts meeting was also highlighted
by two motorcycle thefts. Both the motorcycles were stolen from
the homestay complex in the village of Ketenger, where most of
the Jamboree participants are accommodated.
A 20-year-old man, who was caught red-handed by locals, was
mobbed. Police officers, whose post is close to the homestays,
saved the unidentified man from the mob's anger.
The officers were hard pressed to disperse the mob and save
the suspect.
An eyewitness, Darikun, a 40-year-old local, said somebody had
stolen his motorcycle parked in the yard in front of his house at
11 a.m. on Thursday.
"Then I parked another motorcycle at a place close to my house
and asked fellow villagers to watch while hidden. Later, at about
4 p.m., a man approached the motorcycle and started to wheel it
away until the villagers came out and apprehended him." (45/sur)