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Zika is preventable, expert says
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On alert: Two passengers arriving from Singapore fill in health alert cards (HAC) at Sutan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Sept. 1. (thejakartapost.com/Rizal Harahap)
R
iau Health Agency’s health promotion head Rozita Rosi says the Zika virus is transmitted to humans primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.
“Zika is actually not deadly; still, it should be guarded against,” she said in Pekanbaru on Thursday.
Rozita further said the handling of Zika-infected patients was similar with the treatment provided for dengue patients. “The prevention of the spread of Zika is also similar with dengue preventive measures called 4M Plus, which demands people to drain water tanks, to cover tubs, to bury or dispose used bottles or cans and to monitor mosquito larva in their water tanks,” she said.
“As additional measures, people are advised not to hang dirty clothes anywhere they feel like it and urged to have fish ponds or aquariums, to avoid mosquito bites by using repellent and anti-mosquito sprays, and to put abate powder in water tanks.”
To prevent the spread of the Zika virus, the Riau administration has stepped up passenger surveillance at Sutan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru and in five seaports, namely Buatan, Duku, Dumai, Perawang, Selat Panjang and Sungai, which frequently sees visits of passenger and cargo vessels from Singapore—a country with known Zika cases.
“Sanitation of transportation modes must be conducted to anticipate the spread of the virus,” said Rozita.
She said as of today, there had been no travelers suspected of suffering Zika. “We will continue to coordinate with airport and seaport authorities, airline companies, immigration and customs and excise offices to report any traveler suspected of having Zika so that we can immediately give him or her medical treatment,” said Rozita. (ebf)
