Aside from complying with the health protocols to anticipate Omicron, people must maintain cleanliness so that mosquitoes are not able to breed
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Speaker A. A. LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti has asked East Java residents to remain vigilant against the increasing number of dengue fever cases.



In a press release received here on Friday, Mattalitti noted that in the first three weeks of January 2022, the number of East Java residents contracting dengue fever reached 977, and 17 of them died.



"These cases should not be taken lightly. This figure is quite high and needs to be watched out for. Especially now, there are many floods or puddles that can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that cause dengue fever," he stressed.



Even though the government is currently focusing on handling the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the community should not overlook the threat presented by dengue fever, he added.



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To this end, he appealed to the community to maintain cleanliness so that mosquitoes do not breed.



"Aside from complying with the health protocols to anticipate Omicron, people must maintain cleanliness so that mosquitoes are not able to breed," he advised.



In addition, he also called for intensifying education of the public regarding the "3M" campaign that includes cleaning water storage, closing water storage, and burying used goods.



"The role of the community is very important in preventing dengue fever. Awareness in maintaining environmental cleanliness is vital," he remarked.



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Furthermore, in order to eliminate adult mosquitoes, fogging needs to be carried out optimally, he said.



However, fogging is essential not only in areas affected by dengue fever but also in other areas that have not been affected yet, he added.



To kill mosquito larvae, people can use mosquito repellents, he said.



He also urged people experiencing a fever lasting more than three days to promptly undergo a laboratory test, warning that the condition of a dengue fever patient changes very quickly and the infection can be fatal if not treated properly.


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Translator: Tri Meilani, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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