The figure increased drastically as compared to 2018 when the country witnessed 65,602 dengue fever cases.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - A total of 110,921 cases of dengue fever were recorded throughout Indonesia in the year ending October 31, 2019, according to the healthy ministry.

"The figure increased drastically as compared to 2018 when the country witnessed 65,602 dengue fever cases," Director of Vector and Zoonotic Communicable Disease Prevention and Control of the Health Ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi stated on Tuesday.

One of the factors contributing to the significant rise in the number of dengue fever cases in 2019 was linked to several districts and cities in Indonesia declaring extraordinary occurrence, she pointed out.

The other reason attributed was the tendency of several people to not follow the routine practice of getting rid of mosquito nests, including collecting and cleaning used drinking bottles that may serve as mosquito nests, she stated.

The districts and cities that declared extraordinary occurrence status for dengue fever included Manado, Kupang, and Labuan Bajo.

Among the provinces in Indonesia, West Java recorded the highest number of dengue fever cases, reaching 19,240, followed by East Java, with 16,699 cases; Central Java, with 8,501 cases; Jakarta, with 8,408 cases; North Sumatra, with 5,721 cases; and Lampung, with 5,369 cases.

Related news: Government's intervention helps control dengue outbreak

"Overall, the dengue fever cases were mostly found in Java and Bali, with 61,071 cases; and Sumatra, with 21,896 cases," she stated.

However, she remarked that the high number of dengue fever cases did not indicate that all areas in the country were affected. Several areas are located in the green zone, with relatively lower number of dengue fever cases.

Among the regions declared safe against mosquitoes are Bengkulu, Central Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Gorontalo, and Southeast Sulawesi. All provinces are located in the green zone, with the number of dengue fever cases reaching below 1,400.

Dengue fever mostly affected children in the age group of between five and 17, representing 43.25 percent of the total cases.
Related news: RI devises mosquito infertility technology to curb dengue fever

Related news: BPPT, Kimia Farma cooperate in developing Dengue Rapid Test kits

EDITED BY INE

Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019