BACOLOD City – Dengue cases in Negros Occidental, including this city, have significantly increased, prompting the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to issue Advisory No. 25-0001, Series of 2025, calling for public vigilance and preventive measures.
As of January 18, the province recorded 250 dengue cases, including two fatalities. These figures do not include cases in Bacolod City, which is classified as a highly urbanized city.
The City Health Office (CHO) reported 22 dengue cases in Bacolod as of January 11, attributing the rise to frequent rainfall.
The PHO explained that dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever are acute viral infections transmitted through the bite of day-biting mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant water commonly found in containers such as flower vases, rain barrels, and old tires. They also rest in dark areas inside homes.
Symptoms of dengue include a sudden high fever lasting two to seven days, joint and muscle pain, pain behind the eyes, weakness, and skin rashes.
Severe cases may manifest with nosebleeds, abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored matter, dark stools, and difficulty breathing.
Health officials urged the public to refrain from using aspirin to treat fever and to ensure proper hydration for suspected dengue patients. If symptoms persist for more than two days, patients should be immediately brought to the nearest hospital.
To curb the spread of dengue, authorities emphasized the importance of the “4 o’clock habit,” a daily practice of cleaning surroundings to eliminate mosquito breeding sites. Barangays are encouraged to lead community-wide clean-up drives and educate residents on effective methods to combat mosquito proliferation./PN
