The dengue virus had infected 755 people in Indonesia between the beginning of this year and Feb. 16, Indonesian Health Ministry's Head for Communication Center Sumadi told Xinhua on Wednesday.

The data provided by Sumadi is far lower than that provided by local health agencies.

The Jakarta Post on Wednesday quoted Edwin Nasli, head of the environmental health at the Jakarta Health Agency, as saying that the city has seen 4,458 dengue fever patients treated in 80 hospitals from the beginning of the year to Feb. 24, with 12 people dead as a result of the disease.

Before that, the national Antara news agency once quoted the local heath agency in West Java province as saying that the dengue fever killed 16 people in the province in January, prompting the local government to announce a dengue alert month.

The dengue virus spreads rapidly by mosquitoes that grow fast in dirty environment under the wet weather.

To extinguish the virus spreading, Edwin Nasli said that Jakarta government plans to remove all potential mosquito breeding grounds and improve the effectiveness of mosquito larvae monitors.

"Starting 2009, the administration requires all low- to high-ranking officials to participate in the program (to curb the number of mosquitoes)," Edwin said.

Source:Xinhua