Indonesia: Hundreds Affected by Dengue Fever Outbreaks Across Country

February 24, 2010

Andi Abdussalam

Hundreds Affected by Dengue Fever Outbreaks Across Country

With the rainy season now in full swing, health authorities are on the alert for outbreaks of dengue fever, which has already killed at least 27 people and infected hundreds more.

At least eight people had succumbed to dengue fever in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), while more than 570 had to be hospitalized in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

Deaths have also been reported in other provinces, including East Java, Maluku and South and Central Kalimantan. Meanwhile, in Taskimalaya, West Java, local health officials have declared a pandemic.

The most-affected province so far, however, was NTB. Although no deaths have been reported, 571 people have contracted the disease since the beginning of the year.

Dr. Ida Bagus Jelantik, head of NTB’s disease and environmental control office, said the cases had been reported across 10 districts.

The provincial capital, Mataram, saw the biggest number of patients at 368. It was followed by West Lombok with 52, East Lombok with 46, and West Sumbawa with 31.

The latest deaths in NTT were recorded this weekend. They included a 9-month-old girl and another infant in Kobatoma village in East Flores.

Dr Stefanus Bria Seran, head of the province’s health service, said seven of the fatalities so far had been children.

NTT authorities have declared the dengue cases in Kupang city and Sikka district, however, as unusual.

In East Java, dengue fever claimed the lives of at least nine people in Mojokero, Madiun and Kediri.

In Mojokerto alone, dengue fever has killed four residents and infected 125 others, said Dr. Benhardy, head of the district’s disease-prevention and surveillance team.

“The only subdistricts which have remained free from dengue fever are Pacet and Trawas,” he said.

Benhardy said the number of cases had jumped over the past week, from 110 to 125.

“Learning from last year’s experience, dengue fever will remain a threat until May or June, beyond the end of the rainy season,” he said.

In Kediri, dengue claimed at least two lives last week. The victims were identified as Lorde Bintang S and Anggoro.

According to the head of Madiun’s disease-prevention and surveillance office, Sulistyo Widyantono, over the past two months dengue has infected 66 residents, and killed three.

Meanwhile, in West Java, Tasikmalaya’s health authorities declared a pandemic in three subdistricts.

The head of the district’s disease-surveillance and environmental health office, Hasni Mukti, said dengue had affected Tawang, Cihideung and Cipedes. “Most of the dengue fever patients were found in these three subdistricts,” he said.

In January, 97 dengue cases were recorded in the three subdistricts, up from 93 during January last year.

Deaths from dengue were also recorded across Kalimantan.

In South Kalimantan’s provincial capital, Banjarmasin, four people have died from dengue fever this year. All of the victims were children under the age of 5, according to the head of the province’s health service, Diah RP.

Five deaths were recorded in Central Kalimantan, although Wineini Marhaeni Rubay, from the province’s health service, said those were extraordinary cases.

In Manado, North Sulawesi, 40 people have been diagnosed with dengue, while in Ambon, Maluku’s capital, a five-year-old child reportedly died of the disease.



Antara