As fevers, typhoid and skin infections surge among survivors of last week’s deadly floods, authorities are stepping up medical outreach and disease-prevention efforts across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra to contain outbreaks and protect vulnerable communities.

Devastating flash floods and landslides struck a large part of the northern tip of Sumatra last week after Tropical Cyclone Senyar, a rare storm forming in the Malacca Strait, hit the region, with a devastating impact on communities and public infrastructure.

Official data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) on Dec 5 afternoon reported that the disaster affected at least 3.1 million people across the three provinces, with the death toll rising to 867 and 521 people still missing.

The Health Ministry is closely monitoring a rise in post-flood illnesses in the affected provinces, focusing on preventing outbreaks.

The Health Ministry’s director of surveillance and health quarantine, Dr Sumarjaya, said the diseases currently appearing include skin infections, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, influenza-like illnesses, typhoid, leptospirosis, measles, pertussis, malaria and dengue.

Medical teams have begun door-to-door outrea...