Respiratory diseases kill 229

Respiratory diseases kill 229

WAMENA, Irian Jaya: Respiratory diseases have killed 229
people since January in two subdistricts in the Jayawijaya
regency, an official said over the weekend.

Jayawijaya regent J.B. Wenas said that the diseases claimed
120 lives in the Okbibab subdistrict and another 109 in the
Wamena subdistrict of Trikora.

He said a complete picture of the epidemic affecting the two
subdistricts is difficult to obtain because of the absence of
communication facilities.

"The report on the epidemic came too late because of poor
communication and transportation," Antara quoted Wenas as saying.
He added that the government has sent medical personnel and
supplied medicine to the stricken areas.

Wenas said the local administration was also in need of 10
tons of rice to help people the isolated areas.

Minister of Health Sujudi said on Friday that there was no
such epidemic in the regency and that the death tolls were the
accumulated number of deaths in the two districts since November.
He added that the deaths could have been caused not only by
respiratory disease but by malaria, diarrhea and influenza.

The number of deaths is uncertain and a team from Jakarta is
still investigating the matter, he reported. (rms)