Bohol Gov. Aumentado declares dengue outbreak

Map of Bohol. | File photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Over 5, 000 dengue cases, with 14 deaths, have been reported in Bohol province from January 1,  2024 to August 24, 2024.

This figure is 451.4 percent higher that the number of reported cases during the same period last year, which prompted Governor Erico Aris Aumentado to declare a dengue outbreak in the entire province.

In addition, Aumentado said that a resolution would be endorsed to the Provincial Board for the declaration of state of calamity in Bohol.

The Provincial Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (PESU), said that they had already logged a total of 5,839 cases of the mosquito-borne disease from January 1 to August 24.

A total of 14 of the dengue patients have also died.  Of these, eight died in August.

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The reported deaths for August came from Tagbilaran City- 3, Inabanga – 2, and 1 each for Anda, Getafe, and Ubay.

Epidemic threshold

In a report, PESU said that the number of cases for the year is 451.4 percent higher compared to 971 cases that were reported during the same period last year.

With this, Bohol province has already exceeded its epidemic threshold which “is the level at which the number of dengue cases exceeds the average number from the last five years, signaling the onset of an epidemic in Bohol.”

PESU said that 24 of the 48 localities (one city, 47 towns) in Bohol province have already declared a dengue outbreak in their respective areas.

These are Tagbilaran City and the towns Anda, Alicia, Baclayon, Balilihan, Candijay, Dauis, Garcia Hernandez, Getafe, Inabanga, Mabini, Maribojoc, San Isidro, Sikatuna, Talibon, Trinidad, and Tubigon.

Other localities may also make the same declaration soon, PESU said.

Executive Order

On Monday, September 2, Aumentado issued Executive Order No. 34 which mandates local government units to re-activate the Local Dengue Task Force and to mobilize the schools and the communities to conduct search and destroy mosquito breeding site activities to prevent the continued surge of cases in the province.

He also ordered the establishment of dengue fast lanes in the consultation areas of all city and municipal hospitals.  In addition, LGUs are mandated to allocate funds for the purchase of essential supplies for the control and prevention of dengue cases.

Moreover, the Provincial Anti-Dengue Task Force is mandated to establish an operations center to assess, monitor and recommend immediate strategic actions and policy on the dengue situation to the Governor.