Residents blamed for dengue fever outbreak
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The number of dengue fever cases in the city has increased to 599 as of Wednesday, up 20 percent on Saturday's number of 477, a situation that has been blamed on low public awareness of the disease.
City Health Agency spokesperson Efy Zelfino revealed that most of the patients were adults.
"The increase in the number of cases is not just due to the nature of the disease, but it's also because people don't pay attention to public awareness campaigns on dengue fever," Efy said.
As of Wednesday, Budi Asih Hospital, East Jakarta, had 15 confirmed cases of dengue; 10 of them adults, and five children. Tarakan Hospital, West Jakarta, is treating 17 people, 11 of them adults, while Koja Hospital, also in West Jakarta, has three dengue patients, two of them adults.
The agency's public awareness drive includes the mapping of endemic areas within the capital, the posting of prevention information on the disease at public health clinics and other public places, regular fumigation, as well as organizing neighborhood cleanups.
Dengue outbreaks occur annually in Jakarta, coinciding with the peak months of the rainy season.
Health officials expect the number of dengue cases to continue rising in February and even into March.
Since last year, the health agency has regularly encouraged residents to drain water tanks, cover tubs, and bury used cans and other containers that can hold rainwater. Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector of the viral disease, breeds in such places.
The agency also urges early detection of dengue through blood tests for anyone having a fever of more than 38 degrees Celsius for more than two days, accompanied by headaches, joint pain, nausea and skin rashes.
"People should immediately go to the hospital if these symptoms appear," said Efy. Hospitals will do tests to detect low levels of thrombocytes (blood clotting platelets) in the blood, which is a clear indication of the presence of the disease.
Dwi Endarto, a dengue fever patient at Budi Asih Hospital, delayed getting help for a sustained high fever and is now worried about the cost of his hospital stay.
"I started feeling the fever on Thursday, when I was at work. In fact, I think I contracted the disease at work. I got to the hospital late yesterday," Dwi, 27, a janitor at Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta, said.
Dwi, who believes that the mosquitoes came from the bushes and woods at the zoo, said he has so far spent over Rp 1 million for medication and hospital accommodation. He is now concerned about how he will pay the bills.
Efy said that the government provides a special scheme for poor patients, who are provided hospital treatment and medication at third-class hospitals.
"Such patients require a letter from their subdistrict or community unit head confirming their economic condition."