Dengue, diarrhea kill 57 people

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Dengue and diarrheal diseases have killed at least 57 people and affected some 3,100 other residents in East Nusa Tenggara province since January, an official said on Thursday.

"Fifty of those 57 people died of dehydration," said Fransiskus Salim, the head of the social bureau at the East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration. According to Salim, the hardest hit area was East Flores regency where 20 people died after suffering diarrhea.

In order to prevent more fatalities, Salim said the provincial administration had set up command posts throughout the province. Officials assigned to the posts had been tasked with carrying out prevention and treatment programs against dengue and diarrheal diseases, including the improvement of sanitation in the affected areas, said Salim. -- JP