Dengue fever hits Indonesia, 75 dead

A seasonal dengue fever outbreak in 14 of Indonesia's 33 provinces has killed 75 people and afflicted over 4,800 since New Year's Day.

A seasonal dengue fever outbreak in 14 of Indonesia's 33 provinces has killed at least 75 people and afflicted over 4,800 since New Year's Day, health officials said on Tuesday.

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But this month's figure was much less compared to the same period last year when over 18,900 people were infected and the disease claimed 192 lives, said Erna Tresnaningsih, a health ministry official.

The ministry had taken several measures to reduce the rate of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease that spreads during the rainy season through the aedes aegepti mosquito, she said.

West Java was the worst hit province with a total of 42 people dead due to the viral since early this month. The province has recorded 1,889 confirmed cases.