JAKARTA. As hospitals in Jakarta and the surrounding cities fill up with dengue fever patients amid intensifying rain, residents of Greater Jakarta have been urged to clean up their environment to eliminate mosquito breeding places.
Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama called on residents of the capital, including those in luxurious houses, to allow health officers to ensure that their properties were free from mosquito larvae.
“I have received reports that dengue fever cases in plush residences were increasing because rich people are reluctant to allow health officers to carry out surveillance. Mosquitoes breed not only in dirty water, but also in clean water,” Ahok stressed as reported by kompas.com.
The dengue fever virus is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also happens to be the host of the Zika virus currently hitting many Latin American countries.
Fighting the diseases must start from cutting the life circle of the mosquitoes by preventing the insects from laying their eggs, which could occur in bathtubs or swimming pools, but also in any barrels, drums, jars, pots or buckets storing rainwater.
The Health Ministry has called on all stakeholders to join efforts in eliminating possible breeding spots and conducting fogging to kill mosquitoes and their larvae.
According to Jakarta Health Agency data, the number of dengue fever cases has increased during this rainy season. As of Dec. 31, the number of registered dengue patients reached 611, compared to 443 cases in the previous year.
Similarly, in Tangerang regency, the occurrence of dengue is particularly high this rainy season. “The number of dengue patients from January up to today [Thursday] reached 355,” said Tangerang Health Agency head Naniek Isnaini on Thursday, adding that that was about twice as many cases as last year.
Meanwhile, in East Jakarta, the number of dengue patients amounted to 157 in January, compared to 76 cases registered in the same month last year.
“Since early January, the number of dengue patients is on the rise,” said East Jakarta Health office head Irwan Kurniawan.
