Dengue fever affects children

Dengue fever affects children

PROBOLINGGO, East Java: At least 140 children under five have been hospitalized since an outbreak of dengue fever last November, one of which died because the parents were too late in seeking medical help.

Director of Waluyo Jati Hospital R. Wirjono told Antara on Saturday that the 100-bed facility had to add beds to each room in order to cope with the increasing number of patients afflicted by the disease, also known as hemorrhagic fever.

Some rooms, maternity wards and operating rooms had to be used to accommodate the dengue patients, he said. Some patients even had to sleep on tables.

The news agency reported the Paiton, Kotaanyar, Kraksaan, Krenjengan and Situbondo regencies as the worst-stricken areas. (swe)