Jakarta – The death toll of the dengue fever outbreak in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has risen to 32 as the number of people infected by the dengue virus continues to increase.
According to the East Nusa Tenggara Health Agency, 2,697 people are currently hospitalized due to dengue fever across 20 regencies and one municipality in the province.
"In NTT, only Central Sumba regency is free of dengue," the agency's disease control and prevention head, Erlina R. Salmun, said on Sunday as quoted by kompas.com.
The most affected area is Sikka regency, with 1,145 people hospitalized and 13 dead.
Erlina said the agency had formed a team to oversee the handling of cases, especially in Sikka where most patients were concentrated.
Sikka Regent Robby Idong declared an Extraordinary Occurrence (KLB) in relation to the dengue outbreak in January. Sikka Health Agency acting head Petrus Herlemus said earlier this month that the KLB had been extended to March, the third such extension since the KLB was first announced. (gis)