BACOLOD City – Dengue cases in this capital city have declined, according to the City Health Office (CHO).
CHO recorded 172 dengue cases from January to March this year, lower compared to 246 cases in the same period last year.
Out of these cases, three deaths were recorded, the same number in the same period last year, said Medical Officer IV Grace Tan, CHO’s Environmental Sanitation Division head.
The latest dengue-related death was that of an 11-year-old boy, Tan added.
She also named villages in the city with high incidence of dengue. They are Villamonte, Sum-ag, Taculing, Handumanan, Singcang-Airport, Mansilingan, Pahanocoy, Alijis, Estefania, and Tangub.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness. Sometimes, it develops into potentially lethal complication called severe dengue, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years. Up to 50-100 million infections are now estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, WHO added.
Tan attributed the decline of Bacolod’s dengue cases to CHO’s awareness campaign, adding that keeping one’s surroundings clean is an effective preventive measure against the viral disease.
She also stressed that Bacolodnons must continue to observe the 4Ss against dengue – searching and destroying mosquito breeding places, self-protection measures, seeking early consultation for fever lasting more than two days, and saying no to indiscriminate fogging.
Tan said they are expecting a lower number of dengue cases this summer./PN
