DOH steps up campaign against encephalitis cases

EVEN with only one recorded case of Japanese encephalitis (JE), the regional Department of Health (DOH-7) office said it will intensify its campaign against the disease.

Renan Cimafranca, Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) coordinator, said the vector-borne disease is transmitted by the culex mosquito, a common insect.

He said one case of Japanese encephalitis was recorded in Tuburan town, northern Cebu.

Cimafranca said they also recorded one case of Japanese encephalitis in Consolacion town last year.

Its symptoms include flu-like fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. The symptoms appear six to eight days after the mosquito bite.
The virus affects the nervous system, causes severe complications and even death.

Cimafranca said they will intensify their public awareness campaign on the disease. “We will be implementing the same measures used in dealing with dengue,” he said.

The DOH 4S program consists of searching and destroying the mosquitoes breeding site, self-protection measures, early consultation and fogging.

The DOH recorded nine cases of death caused by Japanese encephalitis in Luzon while 133 patients were diagnosed with the mosquito-borne disease.

Pampanga registered the most number of deaths and cases of Japanese encephalitis.

Cimafranca said the DOH will start distributing vaccine against the disease by next year.

He said the regional office is still waiting for the guidelines for the distribution of the vaccine.