Central Java people told to fight dengue

SEMARANG: Central Java Governor Mardiyanto urged Central Java residents on Tuesday to join in the fight against the dengue outbreak that had reached an alarming level in the province.

The disease had struck 560 subdistricts in the province and had killed 55 residents since January, he said.

"All Central Java residents must participate in the war against dengue fever, for example, by making a conscious effort to clean up breeding grounds of the Aedes aegypti mosquito and stop the spread of the dengue virus," said Mardiyanto.

The governor also called on hospitals not to reject outpatients suffering from dengue fever. "The dengue outbreak is a national disaster, so patients with dengue fever must receive priority treatment. Hospitals should not worry whether patients are able to pay their medical fees, as we are working out a plan to cover hospital expenses for dengue," he said.

The provincial government has allocated Rp 1 billion this year toward combating the dengue outbreak.

A senior health official at the provincial administration estimates that the dengue outbreak will peak in April and May. -- JP