Dengue fever death rate down to 0.8 percent

JAKARTA: The nation’s dengue fever mortality rate has dropped, according a Health Ministry official.

“The mortality rate caused by dengue fever in Indonesia is now 0.8 percent. In Jakarta it was recorded at 0.2 percent,” Rita Kusriastuti, the ministry’s animal-based disease control (P2B2) chief, said as quoted by newsportal detik.com.

Rita attributed the decrease to the increased quality and experience of doctors. The current curriculum for medical students includes information on how to better diagnose and treat dengue fever. Indonesia must still decrease the incidence of the mosquito-borne disease, as those who suffer from repeat infections might be stricken more severely and suffer organ failure, Rita said.

“We must not let water be trapped anywhere. We must not wait for rainy season to clean up, because water is everywhere,” Rita said.

She said that the months of October and November were the right moments to increase popular awareness of how to prevent dengue fever before rainy season peaked in January and February.