INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 28 persons have died of complications arising from the mosquito-borne dengue fever in Central Visayas since January this year, or quadruple the number of deaths recorded over the same period last year.
The regional epidemiology and surveillance unit (Resu) of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) reported that from January 1 to February 16, 2019, they have recorded 3,681 dengue cases with 28 deaths in the region, or a whopping 233 percent rise when compared to the 1,105 cases with 5 deaths recorded over the same period last year.
The DOH-7 has recommended the declaration of dengue outbreak in Lapu-Lapu City and Sibonga town in Cebu province; the town of Lazi in Siquijor; and Tagbilaran City and the towns of Loon, Trinidad, Cortes, Clarin and Dauis in Bohol.
DOH-7 regional director Dr. Jaime Bernadas said they expected the dengue cases to still rise as gleaned from the three-year trend of rising incidents of dengue in the region.
Cebu City recorded the highest number of dengue cases this year, with 430 and 5 deaths; followed by Lapu-lapu City, with 361 cases and one death; and Mandaue City, with 206 cases and one death.
The rest of the fatalities came from the Cebu towns of Balamban (2), San Remegio (2), and city of Toledo (2); Tagbilaran City of Bohol (2); and one each in the cities of Talisay (Cebu), Bogo (Cebu), Dumaguete (Negros Oriental); one each in the Cebu towns of Alcantara, Bantayan, Cordova, Daanbantayan, Pinamungahan, Poro, Sibonga and Tuburan; and one each in the towns of Manjuyod (Negros Oriental) and Baclayon (Bohol).
“Sa karon, dunay mga lugar nga nisaka apan wala pay gidugang sa atong advisory. Duna lay gidugang nga rekomendasyon sa siyudad sa Lapu-lapu, because the Lapu-lapu City is recommended (nga ipaubos sa outbreak),” said Bernadas on Monday, February 18.
Bernadas, however, said that the local government units need not wait for the DOH to declare a dengue outbreak because the LGUs have been given the authority to, on its own, declare a dengue outbreak in their respective areas.
Bernadas added their interventions were already in place to control spread of the disease, such as technical assistance for chemicals that are made available to LGUs with dengue cases, distribution of larvicides, insecticides, impregnated curtains, insecticide treated nets, and fogging as the last resort.
Aside from intensifying the information drive on dengue, Bernadas said they have also put in place intervention programs, such to search and destroy the breeding grounds of mosquito.
Bernadas also urged barangays to activate their barangay brigade against dengue and the adoption of the 4S (search and destroy mosquito breeding places; secure self-protection; seek early consultation; and support fogging and spraying in hotspot places).
He likewise advised parents to seek early consultation, especially if their children experienced several days of fever and headache and other symptoms of the disease.
“Ipa-CBC (complete blood count), ipa-eksamin sa doctor aron mahatag dayon ang saktong pagtagad,” he said.
Dengue virus is transmitted by day biting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, according to a DOH primer on the vector-borne disease.
The DOH said the early signs of infection include headache, body malaise, retro-orbital pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, flushed skin, rash; while the dengue warning signs include abdominal pain or tenderness, persistent vomiting, clinical signs of fluid accumulation (ascites), mucosal bleeding, lethargy or restlessness, liver enlargement, increase in haematocrit and/or decreasing platelet count./elb