Dengue fever proliferates despite government efforts

Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Repeated warnings from the government to the public to take preventive measures against dengue fever at the beginning and the end of the rainy season, apparently have not done any good as around 300 Jakartans still suffered from the disease this year alone.

Director of Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health Umar Fahmi Achmadi said on Tuesday that he had repeatedly called on the public to fight the disease by removing standing water where mosquitoes may breed.

"I don't understand why we have to go over the same ground again and again. I've said many times that fogging alone will not be effective as it can only kill the mosquitoes and not their larvae. The most effective way (to combat the disease) is for the community to inspect and clean areas in and around their homes that may be breeding places for mosquitoes," he said.

He did not deny that actions from the government such as fogging and epidemiological investigation were essential, "but public participation in cleaning the area around their homes is very important in preventing the spread of the disease".

According to Jakarta Health Agency head A. Choliq Masulili, as of Feb. 3 the city recorded approximately 300 cases of dengue fever.

This number reflects a decrease in dengue cases as compared to the same month last year, which reached 505 cases in January and 443 in February.

The agency data also showed that dengue fever peaked in 1998 with 15,360 cases, and again in 2003 with 14,071 cases due to the five-year cycle of the disease.

Choliq claimed that the agency had taken preventative actions by monitoring the cases through hospitals and public health centers in each subdistrict.

He said that the agency would follow up on every report of dengue fever with epidemiological investigation to confirm that the disease was genuine in that area.

"If it's confirmed then the agency will send officers to fumigate the whole area," he told The Jakarta Post.

Masulili asserted that the most effective way to prevent the disease from spreading was to have the public participate in cutting the metamorphosis cycle of the mosquitoes, the carrier of the dengue fever virus, by changing the water in bathroom water storage tanks and by disposing of empty cans where rainwater may accumulate.

Dengue virus is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which lays its eggs on the surface of clean, still water.

The symptoms of Dengue include a fever of more than 38 Celsius degrees for between two and seven days, headaches, nausea and a red rash on the skin. The incubation period after a person is bitten by the mosquito is between eight and 10 days for adults and four to six days for children.

It is recommended that those bitten by the mosquito drink water mixed with salt and sugar to increase the body's electrolytes.

I-Box ----------------------------------------------------------------

Incidence of Dengue in Jakarta

1995-2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------- .TB2.10" Year No. of cases 1995 5,861 cases 1996 7,081 cases 1997 5,190 cases 1998 15,360 cases 1999 3,998 cases 2000 8,729 cases 2001 8,820 cases 2002 5,750 cases 2003 14,071 cases

How to prevent dengue virus from spreading 1. Drain stagnant water in every possible places as they are prone to mosquitoes larvae and frequently change the water in bath containers and birds' drinking cups.

2. Close places that are already nested by dengue-infected mosquito larvae or place lids on water containers.

3. Bury scattered cans and tires that could contain water to prevent the mosquito from laying eggs and spreading. Use mosquito abatement powder (abate) to kill the mosquito eggs.