ILOILO City – It would be doubly difficult for the city government two fight two viruses at the same time, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas. Thus while currently busy fending off the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), he has started moving to ward off a potential surge in dengue cases.
Last year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, the city recorded 3,329 dengue cases with 16 deaths, and an attack rate of 701 per 100,000 population.
This resulted to hospitals bursting at the seams with patients. There was a shortage in hospital rooms, beds, doctors, and nurses.
The demand for blood (for blood transfusion to patients with severe dengue) also spiked.
Treñas recently tasked the City Health Office (CHO) to make sure the city’s 180 barangays are clean, that is, with no chance to harbor mosquitoes.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness that could sometimes be fatal. Its carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albpictus and Aedes aegypti) that live and breed and clean, stagnant water.
Treñas wanted Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams mobilized for a house-to-house campaign on anti-dengue measures.
“We saw how difficult the situation was last year. Now that we are facing COVID-19, having dengue pa gid would be very difficult kay limitado ang aton hospitals,” said Treñas.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) declared a state of calamity due to dengue in July 2019.
Anytime soon, said Treñas, the city government would be distributing to barangays flyers on dengue prevention.
He also urged the media to help spread information on dengue.
According to the World Health Organization, individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40 degrees centigrade) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea / vomiting, swollen glands, muscle and joint pains, and rash.
For severe dengue, the warning signs to look out for are: severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue, and restlessness.
At the height of the dengue problem last year, the city government promoted the 4S strategy. These were the following:
* search and destroy
* self-protection
* seek early consultation
* say “yes” to fogging only during outbreaks
Search and destroy
* cover drums, pails, and other waste containers at all times
* clean and replace the water in flower vases once a week
* cover the holes around the house with soil or sand
* remove or pierce old tires that are being used as roof support, also those tires placed around the house that might hold water
* flip-over empty bottles, jars, tin cans and other items that can collect and hold water
* clean and remove water on dish racks and other household items that can hold water
Self-protection
* use mosquito repellants to avoid mosquito bite
* use mosquito nets when sleeping at daytime
* wear long sleeves or clothes that will protect the skin from mosquito bites
Seek early consultation
* seek and consult with the nearest health facility if you already have fever for two days
Say ‘yes’ to fogging
* fogging should be done when there is an impending and/or during outbreaks
Meanwhile, as of May 8, Iloilo City has 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19, data from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 showed.
Of the 15, two are confined in hospitals while eight are under quarantine (either at home or at the city’s quarantine facility).
Also, four have recovered while one died.
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
Most people (about 80 percent) recover from the disease without needing special treatment, according to the World Health Organization.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth./PN
