Dengue fever kills 124 in Central Java

Agus Maryono and Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Mataram

Widespread dengue fever outbreaks in a number of regencies in Central Java have infected 6,318 people during the last three months, killing 124, an official said Tuesday.

Head of the communicable disease eradication section of the Central Java Health Office Lily Herawati said at a bird flu and dengue fever symposium in Purwokerto that the areas worst hit by dengue fever had been Cilacap, Banyumas and Purbalingga.

"We're sorry about the outbreak. Many victims have died because they were unable to reach a hospital in time. They were rushed to hospital in very poor health and they could not be saved," Lily said.

She attributed the widespread outbreaks of the deadly disease to the lack of attention paid to a mosquito nest eradication drive in the province. "Our research shows local people have not paid serious attention to the drive. They tend to underestimate such threats and be easy going about it," she said.

Lily explained that the spread of the disease was worsened by the high mobility of people between regions throughout the country and waste disposal methods.

"In villages, traditional waste disposal practices continue, causing potholes," Lily said, adding that potholes are an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

She said that her office will continue the mosquito nest eradication program to help curb the further spread of the disease. "We've also provided adequate supplies of medicine, especially in regions which are prone to outbreaks" she said

Meanwhile, at Jeringo village in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, four people have died in the last month due to a malaria outbreak which has infected up to 60 people.

Approximately 30 people are still being treated, Jeringo village head Abdul Karim said Tuesday.

Karim said his village had experienced malaria outbreaks throughout the last three years, but questioned why the government was slow to react this year.

"I made another report yesterday concerning the four people that have died from malaria in our village," he said.

Many people in the village are farmers and have found it difficult to receive medical assistance due to the distance to travel to the nearest community health center.

The nearest health center is located 35 kilometers from the village along a road that is not accessible by car.

"We can hire a motorcycle taxi but the fare is very expensive at Rp 15,000 (approximately US$1.57). The round trip costs Rp 30,000. Therefore, we usually decide to stay at home despite the illness," Udin, a local resident, said.