Dengue cases decrease

JAKARTA (JP): The number of people contracting dengue fever in Jakarta during the first five months of this year decreased to 2,149 from 2,922 in the same period last year, the city health agency said yesterday.

The number of deaths caused by dengue during that period was 13, down from 40 in 1996, agency head Aslan Lasman said. He also said there were 2 percent fewer cases than the Ministry of Health had anticipated.

East Jakarta, where the disease is the most prevalent, experienced a sharp decrease in the five months from 1,464 in 1996 to 697 this year. North Jakarta has the least dengue with two deaths in 227 cases in 1997 and one death in 274 cases in 1996.

The health office took preventive measures against the disease this year by fumigating areas in 177 subdistricts and disseminating information through radio, television and cinemas.

In July and August, the agency, with the help of some 1,100 trained personnel, will clean up and fumigate areas where aedes aegypty mosquitoes breed.

On June 18, the municipality will launch an awareness program on dengue at SDN 011 elementary school in Cibubur, East Jakarta. (10)