Java officials fear new dengue strain

Health officials in Indonesia are alarmed by the rapid spread of a dengue fever outbreak on Java island.

Health officials in Indonesia are alarmed by the rapid spread of a dengue fever outbreak on Java island.The death toll from the disease, spread by the aedes mosquito, has jumped to 322 from 260 last Thursday. Journalists in the area say hospitals are full and the poor are finding it hard to get medical treatment.Health officials fear more people might die, despite a campaign of insecticide spraying aimed at killing the mosquito larvae. Tests are being conducted to see if a new and deadlier dengue strain might be responsible, but results will not be known for a few more weeks.(Source: ABC Health News, Reuters Health, Feb 2004)