Dengue death toll reaches 30

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: An outbreak of dengue fever here has killed 30 people in the months to May this year, with Mayor Husni pledging Tuesday to fighting the disease.

Husin said in a plenary meeting with his staff that the mayoralty would increase preventive and offensive measures against the disease which has struck 410 people in the area.

The measures include cleaning water barrels before covering them, scattering chemical powder on water and growing predator fish to kill the larva of aides aegypty mosquitoes which carry the dengue virus.

The government has made Palembang the home of the pilot project of the national movement for mosquito net cleansing. The mayoralty has chosen Ilir subdistrict to host the project, scheduled for this month. (amd)