Dengue fever outbreak kills one

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: A person died and five others were hospitalized for dengue fever, Antara reported.

Those affected were people living on the river banks.

The death was a boy of seven years. He died while in the care of the Ulin general hospital.

The chief of the South Kalimantan Health Office, Aboe Yahman, said he had not officially been informed of any outbreak of dengue in Banjarmasin or any other towns in the province.

Aboe admitted the rainy season increased the likelihood of an epidemic.

He said he had given orders to all health officials to prepare for the possibility. (emb)