Respiratory illness in North Jakarta

Respiratory illness in North Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): About 60 percent of the residents in North Jakarta suffer from acute respiratory diseases, an official of the local health office said.

Sonny L. Tobing, head of the office, told Antara that those affected are mostly seaport workers, water sellers and construction workers as well as other unskilled workers.

Sonny said on Friday that the high level of respiratory illnesses is caused mainly by uncontrolled population growth and unhealthy living conditions of the people.

"Most of them are living in slum areas," he said.

He said the instance is worse in North Jakarta than in any other mayoralty.

He said that residents of North Jakarta are also prone to other diseases, such as diarrhea and dengue fever.

Last year for example, there were 60 cases of diarrhea, with two deaths, in the mayoralty, Tobing said, adding that 164 cases of dengue fever, with five deaths, were also registered in the same period. (yns)