New cases of dengue fever have been reported at Jeddah’s King Abdul Aziz Hospital, with instances emerging predominantly from the eastern district of Quwaizah, a medical source has said.
While unwilling to disclose the exact number of cases, the source said that all afflicted persons were in stable condition and receiving proper medical care.
“The cases are a result of areas of stagnant water in residential areas where disease-carrying mosquitoes find their breeding grounds,” the source said.
Ali Al-Qahtani, Deputy Mayor for Services at the Jeddah Mayor’s Office, who has been increasingly vocal in recent weeks about the threat of rising groundwater coupled with pollution from sewers, said his office had contacted the National Water Company (NWC).
“We asked them to speed up the process of handling these areas of water and districts experiencing leaks,” he said. “The process of drying up these areas of water is underway.”
NWC director Abdullah Al-Assaf said the company had already started suction-pumping work in Quwaizah.
“That is ahead of works to address the groundwater problems in all residential areas,” he said.
Quwaizah residents, meanwhile, have submitted a complaint to Jeddah Mayor Hani Abu Ras, expressing their concern at what they described as the “increasing threat of groundwater” in their neighborhood.
“For the last four months there have been large water leaks into the streets which are getting mixed with sewage water and groundwater,” the complaint states.
“The Municipality was notified at the time, but failed to respond.”
They also stated that pools of water with festering bacteria and sludge were trapping people in their houses.
“It’s difficult to get out of the door as the water sits right in front of our houses. Some children have become prisoners in their own homes.”
Only three days ago Deputy Mayor Al-Qahtani spoke of a “frightening rise” in groundwater polluted with sewage and the health risk it posed to east Jeddah neighborhoods. Two weeks earlier he was calling for greater cooperation from the public, the NWC and other bodies to combat Dengue fever, saying he also wanted to see private sector involvement in the “battle”.
“Jeddah,” he said, “is located on a lake of water, with insufficient sewage and drainage systems to cope.”
HASSAN HAZAZI
Saudi Gazette