City to prevent dengue outbreak

JAKARTA (JP): The city's Health Agency is planning a series of preventive actions beginning in March aimed at halting further outbreaks of dengue hemorrhagic fever, which has already claimed six lives over the past two months, an official said on Monday.

"The activity will be held in 55 subdistricts that are predicted to have the most cases of dengue fever. It will include a massive fumigation program in densely populated residential areas," said the agency's head Achmad Harjadi.

"There were 1,159 cases of dengue fever in January and February this year with six fatalities. Last year, there were 3,751 cases with 45 fatalities," he added.

The city faced its worst dengue outbreak in 1998 with more than 15,000 dengue cases, which claimed 133 lives.

Achmad said the agency would also disseminate information on how to avoid the fever, for which there is no vaccine or chemical prophylaxis.

He said incidents of the fever usually peaked in March, which marked the end of rainy season.

"Residents should prevent the aedes aegypty mosquito, which carries the dengue virus, from laying its eggs on still water," he added.

"It's important to close water containers and periodically clean or bury them," he said. (nvn)