Dengue fatality rate declining gradually
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Over three months since the dengue fever outbreak began, the case fatality rate (CFR) in the country is declining, but the outbreak has yet to be brought under control as new patients are checking into hospitals every day.
Speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Friday, Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said the national CFR had dropped to 1.2 percent from 1.8 percent on March 1 due to improved treatment for patients.
CFR is determined by the number of deaths divided by the number of cases and is expressed as a percentage.
"We have really taken care of the sick, that's what's important," said the minister. The government has set a target of reducing the CFR to 1 percent nationwide in May.
The minister also said the number of new cases registered daily was steadily decreasing, but the outbreak would only end after the end of the rainy season.
Spokeswoman for the ministry Marini Reksodiprojo said that cumulatively the number of people infected with the mosquito- borne disease had reached around 35,000 nationwide, with the death toll reaching 427.
Dengue fever occurs annually in Indonesia, with a peak occurring every five years. The disease is spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which breeds in clean, standing water.
The best prevention is to cover water containers and to clean out bathroom water storage basins.
Although the CFR has decreased in terms of year on year figures in Indonesia, the number of cases has shown no signs of declining, which underlines the country's inability to prevent dengue fever from recurring.
Sujudi said the government had not lifted the extraordinary status in 12 provinces in Indonesia, namely all the six provinces in Java, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Jambi, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, as well as East and West Nusa Tenggara. Jakarta remains the hardest hit province.
However in Riau, head of the Riau Health Agency, Roesmawi Rifin, said the provincial government considered the outbreak an extraordinary occurrence after four patients died of dengue within a week.
"This happens because the public lacks awareness of the symptoms of dengue fever," he said.
Thus far, 271 people have been infected in Riau and Riau Islands, 95 of them in Pekanbaru.
In Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, two people of the 73 infected so far have died.
"The dengue fatality rate in Aceh is the highest in Indonesia," said head of the province's health agency Mulya Hasjmi.
The local administration has waived all charges for all underprivileged patients in hospitals. The administration even donates Rp 400,000 (US$47.33) to anyone who has dengue.
To prevent further spread, fogging, to kill adult mosquitoes, was conducted in a radius of 100 meters to 200 meters from where a dengue patient was found.
In Indramayu, West Java, the regental government ordered all medical workers to stay in town until the outbreak ended. Regent Irianto said on Friday his administration would take harsh measures against those who violated the order, including suspension.
"Doctors and other medical workers cannot leave the town until there is significant decline in the number of patients. They have to stand by for dengue patients," he said.
There have been 375 dengue patients, with 12 fatalities across the regency.