SOME 420 PEOPLE INFECTED WITH CHIKUNGUNYA IN SOUTH LAMPUNG

Kalianda, South Lampung, Feb 16 (ANTARA) - Some 420 people in Sidomulyo, South Lampung district, got infected with chikungunya disease in February 2010 prompting the local health authorities to announce an emergency situation.

Chief of the Disease Prevention and Observation division at local Health Office, Kristi Endrawati, said here on Tuesday Chikungunya had spread from a village to another in a relatively short time.

She said the Aedes Aegypti mosquito which carries the Chikungunya virus and spread it to humans was developing reaching a cacao plantation in South Lampung.

The cacao peel which can hold water and become the mosquito nests contributes to the spread of Aedes Aegypti there.

"It is impossible to fog all the plantations since it is too big and less effective. We only fog residential areas," she said.

Related officials from the Health Office had urged the local people to bury, cover and clean all ponds periodically to reduce the number of mosquitoes in the area especially during the rainy season.

"People must also protect themselves by using mosquito nets when sleeping and always use anti-mosquito drugs," she said adding that the emergency in Sidomulyo subdistrict is the third in Lampung province.