Majalengka, Kupang suffer from dengue fever, diarrhea

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

At least 13 residents have died of dengue fever in the West Java regency of Majalengka and the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang.

In Majalengka, the dengue fever outbreak has hit hundreds of residents in the regency since December and has killed 10 people.

Hamdi, head of the Majalengka health office, said on Saturday that of the 10, eight were residents of Jatiwangi district and two were residents of Sumberjaya district.

"The last two residents who died of dengue fever were Eka bin Agus and Andre bin Yono, who were the residents of Jatiwangi.

"They contracted dengue fever on Dec. 25," he said, as quoted by Antara.

He said the government had managed to curb the outbreak through various means, including fumigating the area and dusting mosquito repellent on suspected breeding grounds of the aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the disease.

Separately in Kupang mayoralty, three people have also died of dengue fever in the last week.

The Jakarta Post visited several hospitals in Kupang on Saturday and found that dozens of patients with dengue fever were still receiving treatment.

Newly admitted patients at the Prof. Dr. W.Z. Johannes hospital occupied beds in corridors and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to a lack of space.

The pediatric ward had also hosted dengue fever patients since December.

Kupang legislative councillor Hironimus Soriwutun appealed on Saturday to the managements of state and private hospitals in Kupang to work hard to restore the patients, especially children with dengue fever.

East Nusa Tenggara province was not only suffered from an outbreak of dengue fever, but also diarrhea. West Sabu subdistrict, Kupang regency, has also reported mass cases of diarrhea, which had killed three residents. Dozens of others have been admitted to hospital for immediate treatment.