8 dead as dengue fever spikes in Jambi

The Jambi administration says it will extend its alert for dengue fever after 8 people died in January.

There were 118 people infected by the mosquito-borne disease in the month alone.

Jambi Health Agency Head Polisman Sitanggang said that the agency would take emergency measures, including mapping existing cases and inviting local physicians and public health workers to discuss how to contain the outbreak.

Sitanggang said that most of the recent infections occurred in the last week of January, defying a decrease in cases recorded earlier in the month.

“I hope the alert status will end within two months,” he added.

Sitanggang warned residents to be aware of the onset of dengue fever symptoms and to keep their environment clean.

“Aedes aegypti mosquitos usually come out from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. and from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.,” he said, adding that residents should immediately go to the hospital if they had high fevers. (swd/mtq)