In Reply to: Good Grief! posted by Timeout on Saturday, 7. January 2006 at 17:09 Bali Time:
It sounds like all you are looking for is reassurance that you won't be affected.
Personally I think that there is nothing wrong with this post. It isn't 'scare mongering', it is raising awareness. It is bringing to light some important information that people more concerned about how much raspberry cordial to bring with them and where they can go shopping for cheap handbags might not have thought about. Dengue fever is a serious concern, for Balinese and tourists alike. Whether or not the numbers of tourists affected are low or not, it is still an important issue for anyone travelling to Indonesia, and if this post leads people to do a little more research on dengue fever on their own - and perhaps even be a bit more vigilant with their mosquito repellent - all the better.
This forum is not just about reassuring people that tourists are safe in Bali. There are real dangers about travelling to a developing country and they can't be ignored, even if you do want to 'relax a bit'.
Furthermore, just because the poster does not mention numbers of tourists affected or the areas that are faring worst does not mean that his post is irrelevant. You might only be interested in statistics about tourists but I for one am also interested about issues that are affecting the Balinese. Yes, they do have to pay for medical treatment, and althought the amount isn't much to us, many families cannot afford it and have to take out loans to cover the costs, getting themselves deeper into trouble. So yes, they need our money, and yes, they need us there, but if tourists are unaware of the dangers of dengue and the appropriate preventative measures, they will start falling victim to the disease in higher numbers. This is something that Bali does not need on top of everything else.