"Most of them are suffering from ARI and medical officers are taking care of them intensively," Hendarto said.Magelang, Central Java (ANTARA News) - A number of Mount Merapi cold lava victims staying in refugee camps in Magelang, Central Java, are currently suffering from acute respiratory infections (ARI) , a local health official said.
"Most of them are suffering from ARI and medical officers are taking care of them intensively," Hendarto, the head of Magelang district`s health office, said here Monday.
Local authorities had established 13 health centers in as many cold lava flood refugee camps and assigned medical officers to work in shifts to give medical services to the camps` inhabitants.
Hendarto said there ware sufficient medicine supplies for the refugees, adding that the total number of officially registered refugees was 5,006.
The largest refuge camp was the Tanjung Final Shelter (TPA) in Muntilan Sub-District which was inhabited by 1,117 refugees.
The refugees had come from 16 hamlets in four villages located along the Putih River, namely Sirahan, Selo Goro, Jumoyo, and Adikarto villages.
Meanwhile, the head of Magelang District`s General Hospital, Dr. Sasongko, said the hospital had taken care 29 cold lava victims.
Of the 29 victims, two eventually died, 23 were still being treated at the hospital, while four others were outpatients, he said.
Cold lava floods that followed the Mount Merapi eruptions in 2010 often hit some regions in Magelang District because of the high precipitation on Mount Merapi`s peak.
The main road between Magelang and Yogyakarta was several times hit by cold lava floods as volcanic materials from Mount Merapi often overflowed from the Putih River which lay across Jumoyo Village, Salam Sub-District, Magelang District.
Traffic between Magelang and Yogyakarta was often diverted to some alternative routes due to the cold lava floods.
(Uu.KR-AES/HAJM/A014/P003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
