Dengue fever – a brief outline

Dengue is a viral disease and it is transmitted through the bite of an Aedes aegypti mosquito which is a day-biting mosquito. This mosquito lives very close to people in built-up areas and thrives in stagnant water.

The disease has spread as a result of rapid urbanisation, especially where a lack of clean water and sanitation are a problem. Some experts think that climate change is also contributing to the rapid spread of dengue fever. Small pools of water are common, especially after it has rained, which have enabled the mosquito to reproduce quickly and in great numbers.

Dengue fever in Indonesia

According to the Indonesian Health Ministry, Indonesia ranked first in the number of dengue cases across ASEAN with more than 90,000 cases in 2013.

Dengue fever continues to pose a serious risk for Indonesians, with 641 people being killed by the mosquito-borne disease last year. The Health Ministry said that across the country, 71,668 cases of Dengue fever were recorded until mid-December, urging Indonesians to take action against the mosquitoes that spread the disease.

Dengue fever is spread primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and the number of cases usually spikes during the rainy season.

The nation-wide number cases in Indonesia seems to be on the decline but in several areas the number is rising, including North Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Bali and Jakarta.

Source:

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/ministry-almost-650-indonesians-killed-dengue-fever-year/

http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/dengue-fever-on-the-rise-in-southeast-asia/