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.