Over 3,000 cases and 43 deaths from dengue fever

JAKARTA (JP): While the municipality is trying to avoid panic by suppressing information on dengue fever, over 3,000 cases have been recorded across the city, with 43 deaths.

The latest figures as of June 17 show a total of 3,024 cases and 43 deaths, compared to May's 1,880 cases and 28 deaths.

The figures may rise until at least the end of the month, as each year, a high number of cases usually occurs in Jakarta during June and July, Thomas Suroso, an official at the Ministry of Health, said.

Thomas heads the directorate of vector-carried disease control under the Directorate General of Communicable Disease Control and Environmental Health.

East Jakarta has the highest figure so far, with 1,187 cases and 23 deaths. However, the number of cases have dropped sharply, from 530 sick and nine dead in May to 62 sick and two dead this month.

Earlier, the city's health agency would not reveal figures, saying City Hall's public relations office had requested that figures be concealed, in fear of a drop of tourists.

"The figures are better revealed so everyone takes action," Thomas said yesterday.

Tourists would also benefit if they are aware and will take precautions, he said.

Warnings to the public were announced beginning in January, when a city official in charge of social welfare, Soenarjudardji, said the 1995 figures of 5,624 cases was double that of 1994.

He said that out of 100 houses surveyed, nine to 10 were found to be host to the aedes aegypti mosquito virus.

This year, the number of cases found monthly were 313 in January, 185 in February, 346 in March, 729 in April, 1,252 in May and 199 in June.

In response to why the outbreak of the disease now seems to be every two years instead of five, Thomas said Jakartans and other Indonesians are actually vulnerable any time of the year.

"It is difficult to predict, what with the change of climate," he said.

"Anyway, everyone should step up clearing out standing water where the mosquito eggs are laid; burying unused, potential containers of standing water like old cans, and closing all water containers," he said.

"It's really very simple. But it requires a change of habit, no matter how busy everyone is," he added.

Thomas said it is high time that the prestige gained from the Adipura award for cleanliness won by the city's five mayoralties was reflected in effective control of less tangible sanitation.

"We shouldn't look clean only on the outside," he said. (anr)