ILOILO City – From Jan. 21 to 27 of this year, Western Visayas reported 221 dengue cases within just a week.
Data released by the Department of Health (DOH) showed three provinces with the highest number of cases during this period: Aklan (73), Iloilo Province (41), and Negros Occidental (31).
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that leads to a severe flu-like illness and, in some cases, can be deadly.
The following are the reported cases in other provinces and highly urbanized cities from Jan. 21 to 27: Antique (26), Bacolod City (six), Capiz (16), Guimaras (three), and Iloilo City (25).
From Jan. 1 to 27 the region recorded a total of 555 dengue cases, marking a 25 percent decrease compared to the 737 cases reported in the same period in 2023.
The breakdown of these cases by province and highly urbanized city is as follows:
* Aklan – 86 cases
* Antique – 64 cases
* Bacolod City – 16 cases
* Capiz – 85 cases
* Guimaras – 30 cases
* Iloilo City – 78 cases
* Iloilo Province – 119 cases
* Negros Occidental – 77 cases
The region has identified 27 barangays with clustered dengue cases, defined as three or more cases occurring within a four-week period.
4S Strategy
The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is emphasizing the 4S strategy to combat dengue, particularly amid the El Niño phenomenon.
The 4S strategy comprises: searching for and destroying mosquito-breeding sites; adopting self-protection measures such as wearing trousers and long-sleeved shirts, along with the daily use of mosquito repellent; seeking early treatment; and supporting fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas.
“During the El Niño season, the incidence of dengue can increase significantly, necessitating heightened vigilance and the proactive implementation of the 4S strategy, especially the search and destroy initiative,” said said Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, head of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
From Jan. 1 to Feb. 3 of this year, the province reported 141 dengue cases. The municipality of Oton leads with 18 cases, followed by Passi City with 13, and Pavia with 11.
Other municipalities with reported cases include San Joaquin, Banate, Miag-ao, Cabatuan, Janiauy, Calinog, and Lambunao, among others. No cases were reported in Anilao, Batad, Concepcion, and Zarraga.
“We urge the public to be vigilant and to immediately eliminate mosquito-breeding sites. Anyone with a fever, especially a high fever, should visit our center for a dengue test,” said Quiñon.
Dengue typically begins suddenly with a high fever—104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher—and is accompanied by at least two of the following symptoms: severe headache, nausea or persistent vomiting, swollen glands, muscle, bone, and joint pain, pain behind the eyes, and red spots or patches on the skin./PN
