Indonesia: Dengue fever outbreak infects 200 in one week April 3

Event

On Friday, April 3, authorities reported that a severe dengue fever outbreak in East Nusa Tenggara infected over 200 people over the course of one week. The outbreak has infected more than 4500 people so far and caused 48 fatalities.

Indonesia has recorded over 10,000 new dengue fever infections since January 2020. Other regions hit by the disease include Lampung, West Java, Riau, South Sumatra, and Jakarta.

Further spread of the disease is possible over the coming weeks.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

Advice

Individuals in Indonesia are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air-conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds on their properties (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).