Malaria Still Rampant In NTT

Kupang (Antara Bali) - Malaria cases are still rampant in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) with 25 out of 1,000 people in the province found to be infected by the disease, a doctor said.

Head of the NTT Health Service dr Stafanus Bria Seran, MPH, said  here Wednesday the rate is five times the national standard of 5 out of 1,000 in the country.

NTT is among the regions including Papua and Maluku in eastern Indonesia having the highest malaria cases  and death rate, dr Stefanus said here today. Babies and pregnant women  are more vulnerable to malaria attacks, he said.

Malaria could cause serious anemia for pregnant women  and anemia could  be fatal for the baby, and  cause miscarriage even death if the malaria attacks the brain, he added.

Currently  30 of 1,000 pregnant women  and 46 of 1,000 babies are attacked by malaria in NTT, he said.(IGT)