Central Java people told to fight dengue

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