TETANUS HAS KILLED 18 PEOPLE AND CAUSED 50 OTHERS TO BE HOSPITALIZED IN INDONESIA'S QUAKE ZONE, BUT HEALTH OFFICIALS DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE MANY MORE CASES, A SENIOR HEALTH OFFICIAL SAID FRIDAY. «THE SPREAD OF TETANUS IN THE QUAKE ZONE IS NOW UNDER CONTROL,» SAID DR. BONDAN SURYANTO, FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF YOGYAKARTA. «THERE IS NO CHANCE OF A MAJOR OUTBREAK.» HE SAID 18 PEOPLE HAD DIED AND MORE THAN 50 OTHERS HOSPITALIZED FROM THE INFECTION, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. LAST MONTH'S 6.3-MAGNITUDE QUAKE SOUTH OF THE CENTRAL JAVANESE CITY OF YOGYAKARTA KILLED MORE THAN 5,800 PEOPLE AND INJURED 36,000, MANY WITH OPEN FRACTURES OR CUTS. TETANUS USUALLY STARTS FROM A CONTAMINATED CUT OR DEEP PUNCTURE WOUND. IT IS FATAL IN MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF CASES, WITH EVEN HIGHER RATES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD.
