Minister urges public to keep homes clean

Minister urges public to keep homes clean

The rainy season is nearing its end and the government expects
the dengue fever outbreak to be over by June, but Minister of
Health Achmad Suyudi is urging people to remain alert and keep
their surroundings clean.

"Keeping our surroundings clean and particularly the 3M
movement -- draining standing water, covering water tanks and
burying or disposing of used cans -- are still very important to
minimize the possibility of being infected by the dengue virus.

"These efforts, however, must involve all community members to
make them more effective," the minister said on Saturday.

Achmad was speaking at a dengue fever prevention exhibition at
the Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) housing estate in Tangerang.

Anis, a resident of the housing estate, expressed concern over
the people's lack of knowledge about dengue fever.

"Many people have inadequate knowledge of how to prevent
dengue fever," he said, adding that this had contributed to at
least 39,938 people nationwide being infected with the disease
since early this year, with 498 deaths.

Jubailah, an official with the health ministry, explained
during the exhibition that the Aedes aegypty mosquitoes that
spread the disease could be spotted by the white stripes on their
bodies.

"This kind of mosquito loves to live in mild and dark places
and breeds in clean water," she said, adding that one female
mosquito could lay about 100 eggs at once.

BSD spokesman Dhony Rahajoe said that although none of the
estate's 80,000 residents had been infected with dengue, the
estate management had sprayed the area.

"The spraying started last month. The BSD management decided
to buy some spraying machines while the residents raised money to
buy the chemicals for the spraying," he said.