Dengue cases up: Cebu City may declare ‘public health emergency’

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Residents of Cebu City are being urged not to take the dengue threat lightly as local officials are contemplating declaring a public health emergency due to a spike in cases and confirmed deaths.

Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia expressed concerns over the rising dengue cases in Cebu City, where he revealed that local health authorities recorded eight confirmed deaths and 597 cases as of this period.

“I’ve been monitoring the cases since July, na August na lang, unya karon September. I have seen a steady rise in the number of cases,” Garcia said in an interview on Friday, September 6.

(I’ve been monitoring the cases since July, then August, and now September. I have seen a steady rise in the number of cases.)

“Now, I’m contemplating whether it might be a public health emergency, but unya na lang kay it might be premature, so mag-meeting pa mi ni Dr. [Daisy] Villa,” he added.

(Now, I’m contemplating whether it might be a public health emergency, but that will be done later because it might be premature, so I will first have a meeting with Dr. [Daisy] Villa.)

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Garcia said although a public health emergency had not yet been declared, the situation calls for urgent public awareness and action.

He said that he had been in constant coordination with the City Health Department (CHD) to implement preventive measures.

“Right when I found out that the cases were rising, ang akong gibuhat, akong gipatawag ang CHD and instructed them to take countermeasures against dengue. So, they have been constantly in the barangays conducting misting and distributing impregnation blankets/curtains. They have been doing this to control the cases of dengue,” he said.

(Right when I found out that the cases were rising, what I did, I called the CHD and instructed them to take countermeasures against dengue. So, they have been constantly in the barangays conducting misting and distributing impregnation blankets/curtains. They have been doing this to control the cases of dengue.)

The mayor noted that a meeting with health officials had been scheduled soon to assess whether a public health emergency would need to be declared.

Dr. Daisy Villa, head of the CHD, confirmed the alarming rise in cases and the mixed demographic of the fatalities, which ranged from a 3-year-old child to a 75-year-old adult.

The affected barangays included Cogon Pardo, Buhisan, Lorega, Sampangdaku, and Mabolo.

“From the first monitoring from January to July, there was already a hundred-plus increase… Paspas na ang increase diri sa August. Last death was on September 2, but dili siya confirmed nga dengue, only suspected. Sagunson gyud og patay sa August,” she said.

(From the first monitoring from January to July, there was already a hundred-plus increase…The increase here in August was really fast. Last death was on September 2, but it was not yet confirmed if it was dengue, only suspected. The deaths in August have followed one after another.)

She said that the total number of confirmed dengue cases this year, 597 as of September 6, is significantly higher than the 27 confirmed cases during the same period last year.

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In 2023, there were no recorded dengue deaths, Villa said.

This rise in cases has led health officials to ramp up public health campaigns and cleanup efforts, urging residents to eliminate possible mosquito breeding sites and to seek early medical consultation.

“Again, pagpanglingpyo gihapon, pangkuha sa pwedeng kaitlogan sa lamok. Nilax ta ana. Unya magsigeg tawag ang katawhan, sige ta’g cleanup drive, pero sila mismo sa ilang mga balay wala nagbuhat,” Villa said.

(Again, it is still cleaning, removing the possible places where the mosquitoes would lay their eggs. We became lax on that. And then we continued to call the people, we continued our cleanup drive, but they themselves in their homes they did not do those things.)

The CHD has already implemented measures in schools, such as installing nets on windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering classrooms. Villa stressed that community cooperation is essential to controlling the outbreak.

“Losing lives is really lisod kaayo. Maong tanang mga tawo should go hand in hand. Dili pwede kita ra ang motrabaho. It should be the whole community, hasta apil ang mga tagbalay,” she said.

(Losing lives is really difficult. That is why the public should go hand in hand. It cannot be that we are the only ones working. It should be the whole community, including those in the homes.)

As the dengue cases continue to rise, residents are advised to stay vigilant, remove stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, and avoid delaying medical consultations to prevent further complications or loss of life.

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