TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of Jakarta Health Agency Koesmedi Priharto believed that dengue fever outbreak in the city could be overcome.

Nevertheless, he said that dengue fever cases in the city could almost be categorized as an extraordinary situation (KLB).

Koesmedi also said there are still many hospitals in the city that are still empty and ready to accommodate patients.

“The cases can almost be categorized as KLB but there are still hospitals that are empty to treat the patients,” he said at the city hall on Friday (5/2).

Based on the data from the Jakarta Health Agency, until the end of January 2016, the number of dengue fever patients has reached 611 people.

Koesmedi further said that the Jakarta administration has taken a number of anticipatory measures, including adding that number of beds for patients who need intensive cares at hospitals.

“This year, we have increased the number of beds in hospitals into around 2,000 beds," he added.

The Health Agency has also opened call center at 082210008683 for residents who need fogging in their areas and deployed wiggler hunters (known as a juru pemantau jentik, or jumantik, for short) to continue informing the residents about prevention of the spread of wigglers.

INGE KLARA SAFITRI