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dengue hemorrhagic fever (DBD) outbreak remains a threat in Surakarta city, Central Java. In the second week of this month, 36 dengue cases were recorded, three of which resulted in death. From January to May this year, 245 DBD patients were recorded; six of them died.

“All the patients were children, aged between 3 and 6 years old. The number has increased compared to last year in the corresponding period,” said the head of the Surakarta Health Agency’s disease control and environmental health (P2PL) division, Efi S. Pertiwi, on Friday.

Based on Surakarta Health Agency data, of the 249 DBD patients in 2015, seven died. In the first five months of this year the number of patients and deaths from DBD was almost equal to that of the previous year.

Efi said the Semanggi and Mojosongo subdistricts were the areas with the most number of patients, whereas in 2015 the two subdistricts were almost free of the disease.

According to her, environmental cleanliness very much influences the situation in both areas, especially in the Pasar Kliwon and Jebres subdistricts, which are home to livestock markets selling poultry and goats.