Health office issues warning

A Jakarta Health Office official warned Jakartans yesterday of the possibility of epidemics of dengue fever and diarrheal diseases occurring during the coming monsoon season.

He also warned that people would be more prone to skin diseases and respiratory infections when the rains came.

Soeharto Worjowidagdo, the chief of the office, said that a dengue fever outbreak is expected in the wake of the rains.

The rainy season provides excellent breeding places for the aedes aegepti, the mosquitoes which carry the virus that causes the disease, as the fish ponds in gardens, the holes in bamboo fences and other water receptacles fill up.

"The number of patients suffering from dengue fever in the city reached 2,441, of which 30 died, in the period between January and October of this year," he said.

The total number of victims of this disease is projected to increase to about 3,000 by the end of this year, he said.

Soeharto said that during the dry season this year there were high incidences of skin diseases, respiratory infections, eye infections and diarrhea. He expects this trend to continue with the coming rainy season. (22)