In The Last 8 Months, 133 Pekanbaru Residents Have Been Infected With Dengue Fever

Mosquito Aides Agepti causes dengue fever (ANTARA)

PekanBARU - Pekanbaru City Health Office in Riau Province recorded 133 cases of dengue or dengue hemorrhagic fever based on reports from all health facilities in its working area from January to mid-August 2023. According to the Head of the Pekanbaru City Health Office, Zaini Rizaldy said, the denbD cases found from the beginning of the year to the 33rd week recorded 133 cases, fewer than the findings of cases in the same period in 2022 which amounted to 700 cases. "Hopefully no one has died due to dengue fever until the end of the year," said Zaini. He said that most of the cases of dengue transmission were found in the Marpoyan Damai sub-district area, Payung Sebaik, and Tenayan Raya. Zaini asked residents to help prevent the breeding of intermediate mosquitoes in the transmission of dengue virus by maintaining environmental hygiene in order to reduce the risk of DHF transmission. "We urge areas that settlements have not been properly guarded so that the area does not become mosquito nests," he said. He said that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that are the main intermediaries in the transmission of dengue viruses proliferate in clean puddles, therefore residents must ensure their neighborhoods are free from puddles. Water reservoirs are advised to routinely drain and clean water reservoirs, sprinkle Abate powders in difficult water reservoirs, close water reservoirs, and re-use or recycle used goods to eradicate mosquito nests.

In addition, Zaini advised residents to immediately go to a health service place if they experience symptoms similar to dengue hemorrhagic fever. "If people find that there are families who have fever, especially children or the elderly, are immediately taken to the nearest health facility, health center or clinic, so that they can be examined, whether it's due to dengue or due to other diseases," he said.