Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno warned residents of a potential dengue fever (DBD) surge due to the El Nino phenomenon in the second half of 2026. He made the remarks during a simultaneous community cleanup in West Jakarta on Sunday.
Rano Karno stated that dengue would be the first disease faced if El Nino occurs. "The first disease we will face, if El Nino happens, is DBD. We will address the transitional season expected to be much longer and Jakarta or Indonesia much hotter," he said in Jakarta on Sunday.
The DKI Jakarta administration held community work in eight West Jakarta sub-districts: Kebon Jeruk, Cengkareng, Kalideres, Grogol Petamburan, Kembangan, Palmerah, Tambora, and Taman Sari. Activities focused on sorted waste collection, sludge removal, channel normalization, river cleaning, and dismantling structures blocking drains. Rano Karno stressed, "That means, piles like this if not cleaned become mosquito breeding grounds causing DBD and very dangerous for children."
Additional efforts included tree trimming, pedestrian path repairs, and electrical cable organization. He hopes the initiative becomes a routine movement across Jakarta, including the Thousand Islands, to boost shared responsibility for environmental cleanliness.
DKI Jakarta Health Office data shows the top 10 sub-districts for DBD cases from 2022-2025 include Cempaka Putih, Pasar Rebo, Mampang Prapatan, Kelapa Gading, and Kembangan. Annual peaks typically occur in April due to seasonal shifts, rising temperatures, and rainfall.
