Around 103 Tomcat Victims Treated

Surabaya (Antara Bali) - Around 103 people have been treated at health care centers in Surabaya, the capital of East Java province, after being bitten by the 'tomcat' insects.

"All those affected have been declared outpatients," the head of the Surabaya health service, Esty Martiana Rachmie, said to media persons here on Tuesday.

The patients, who are suffering from skin burns and blisters, have been treated at 13 sub-district health care centers.

She said that with the cooperation of the agriculture service, anticipatory measures have been taken to stop the spread of the poisonous insects to other areas.

The secretary of the city's agriculture service, Hari Tjahyono, said his service has conducted eradication efforts by spraying the animals with a non-chemical insecticide.

"We have even sent 10 workers at night to deal with the problem at affected places," he said.(IGT)