City wards off dengue fever

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso kicked off on Friday a weekly anti-mosquito campaign in an effort to prevent an outbreak of the fatal dengue fever in the capital.

Officiating the campaign launch, Sutiyoso called on Jakartans to take active part in the city-wide effort.

As of September, 19,561 cases of dengue fever and 84 related deaths have been recorded, as compared to 14,071 cases and 59 fatalities last year.

"Although the disease was discovered 36 years ago, no vaccine has been developed against it," Sutiyoso said, adding that the fast spread of the disease was caused by residents' neglect of hygiene.

Sutiyoso said the fight to exterminate the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, who carry and transmit the dengue virus into humans, must begin at their breeding grounds -- still, clear water.

"We will free the city from dengue fever with an all-out attack on their breeding places... From now on, (everyone) must participate in the effort every Friday from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m," he said.

The campaign, which is supported by a gubernatorial decree, involves wailing ambulances, mosque drums and school and church bells that call on residents to take part.

During the 30-minute period, Jakartans are to carry out the three steps to exterminating mosquitoes, locally known as 3M: empty standing water, cover water tanks and bury or dispose of used bottles and cans.

City health agency head Abdul Chalik Masulili had said earlier the campaign was adopted from Cuba, which eradicated the disease after implementing the effort for three consecutive years.