Three more die of malaria
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni and Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Mataram/Batam
Three more people in East Lombok regency have died of malaria since Friday, bringing the total number of deaths in the current outbreak to nine.
Two of the three latest deaths occurred in the subdistricts of Sekarwangi and Ijobalit, while the other death was in neighboring Pijot subdistrict.
The number of residents in the regency being treated for malaria rose from 266 to 380 over the weekend. Patients are being treated at three community health centers. However, because of the large number of people affected by this outbreak the centers have become severely overcrowded.
The outbreak in the regency began at the end of October. Tests have confirmed that most of the patients have been infected with the virulent falciparus strain of malaria, which attacks the brain.
To prevent the spread of the disease, the government has fumigated in the regency to reduce the number of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
West Nusa Tenggara provincial health office deputy head, I Komang Gerudug, said poor sanitation was to blame for the spread of malaria. Gerudug urged residents to clean up standing water near their homes and offices to reduce the malaria-carrying mosquito population.
This year has been an especially bad one for malaria in East Lombok compared to previous years. In 2004, 49 people were diagnosed with malaria and two died.
Meanwhile, in Batam, Riau Islands province, 277 people in Batam city have fallen ill with dengue fever since January, with nine deaths. This figure is much higher than last year, with only 126 people infected with dengue for all of 2004, with six deaths.
A spokesman for the Batam Authority Hospital, Azwar, said on Monday the number of dengue patients rose sharply in February and November, with 39 people admitted for treatment in February and 26 so far in November.
The hospital has set up a team of 19 doctors to treat the dengue patients, Azwar said.
With heavy rains in Batam since September, conditions are ideal for the aedes aegypty-carrying mosquitoes, which breed in standing water.