Dengue claims 35 lives

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Thirty-five people died of dengue fever in the province between January and July of this year, a local official said yesterday.

Zaini Saleh, head of the provincial health office's section on communicable diseases control, said the worst-hit area was the Palembang mayoralty, where 26 people died.

The second worst stricken was Ogan Komering Ulu, where five of the several hundred people infected with dengue fever died, Antara reported.

Zaini said the disease infected more people than it did in the same period last year. Throughout last year, 56 people died of dengue and another 1,800 were hospitalized with the disease. (pan)