Update on Dengue Fever

(4/2/2004)

The Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASITA) has circulated an official update from Bali Health Department on the current outbreak of Dengue Fever - known locally as Deman Berdarah (DB).

The official announcement (Nomor: 443.42/187/P2M/Dikes) dated March 26, 2004, reported:

• During the month of January 2004, 69 cases of DB were reported in Bali without any fatalities.

• During the month of February 2004, 439 cases were reported in Bali resulting in 2 deaths; A Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 0.46%.

• For the month of March 2004 through March 22, 2004, 1,171 cases were reported in Bali resulting in 3 fatalities (CFR=0.25%).

• Through March 22, 2004, the reported incidents of DB infection for the entire province of Bali stood at 36.41 infections per 100,000 residents of the island.

Preventative Measures

The Bali Health Department has taken the following steps in confronting the current outbreak of DB:

• Developments in combatting the outbreak and new cases of DB are continually reported to the Governor's office.

• The Health Department is monitoring all cases at all hospitals on the Island.

• All cases confirmed in hospitals and clinics in the city of Denpasar are reported back to the administrative unit at the residential address of the patient in order that a search for related cases can be conducted and steps taken to eradicate the local mosquitoes population as a source of further infection.

• All local administrative units on the island are receiving periodic updates on the progress of the disease and undertaking coordinated programs to control DB's spread.

• Insecticides (e.g. CYBOFF 25 ULV) and Abate 1SG are being distributed to all administrative units on the island as required to combat DB.

• Ringer's Lactate is being supplied to clinics and hospitals for use in intravenous transfusion to those suffering from DB.

• Public education through the print and electronic media is being used to establish an interactive dialogue with the community on steps that must be taken to combat DB.

• Epidemiological studies are made by the Health Department of all cases of DBD uncovered in urban areas.

• Fogging, based on the results obtained from the epidemiological studies, is carried out on affected areas.

• General fogging was being carried out throughout Bali together with competitions to eradicate mosquitoes in banjars in the City during the month of February 2004.

Most cases of DB are reported in heavily populated urban areas of the city where rubbish or stagnant water is allowed to accumulate. Reported cases traced back by epidemiological studies to hotels and resorts on the island are extremely rare with virtually all hotels and resorts having fogging programs in combination with nesting control monitoring to keep their guests free of the disease transmitted through the bites of the edes aegypti mosquito.