Mosquitoes ‘mutated’ can now breed in dark, murky water
With dengue cases in the first six months in Central Visayas being 159 percent higher when compared to the same period last year, the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) and the Cebu Provincial Health Office are jointly calling schools especially parents to maintain the cleanliness of their surroundings in order to prevent the mosquitoes that causes dengue from spreading.
Dr. Shelbay Blanco, medical coordinator of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in Central Visayas (RESU-7), said that they are on high alert status on the surveillance of dengue cases in the entire Central Visayas after there was a notable increase of cases here.
Based on the data provided by RESU, there were 5,728 cases of dengue from January 1 to June 4 this year.
Blanco said that this is 159 percent higher compared to the same period last year, which only had 2,212 cases.
There are 46 deaths registered for this year compared to last year, which had nine deaths.
Blanco explained that one of the factors that contributed to the rise of reported cases of dengue was the aggressive response especially of parents to have their children checked after experiencing fever.
He attributed this response of parents as an offshoot of their massive campaign drive against dengue.
Aside from this, Blanco said that failure to maintain cleanliness of the surroundings have contributed to the rise of cases.
He said unlike before where mosquitoes breed on clean water, now, they have “mutated.”
“They can now live even on murky or dark water,” Blanco said during the Kapihan sa PIA yesterday.
Blanco said that cleanliness of the surroundings is of utmost priority especially with the onset of the rainy season.
Blanco announced that DOH-7 will start to roll out anti-dengue vaccines in Central Visayas by the last quarter of this year.
The vaccines will be available to grade school students in all public schools who are nine years old and above.
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