SAN JOSE, Antique – The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) said dengue took the lives of three persons in this province last month.
“These were recorded in the municipalities of Pandan, Caluya and Bugasong,” IPHO Infectious Disease Cluster head Sheree Vego said on Aug. 2.
According to Vego, Pandan town’s fatality was a one-year-old baby girl.
“This province now has four (dengue) fatalities. The death of a three-year-old child from Tobias Fornier was in February,” she added.
Meanwhile, this province’s dengue cases in the first 8 months of this year were drastically lower compared to the same period in 2019.
“We only had 322 live cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 22 this year,” Vego pointed out, adding that they recorded 2,011 cases, including 10 deaths, last year.
Due to the reported deaths last month, the IPHO is urging Antiqueños to practice the 4S strategy against dengue.
“Let us be reminded that 4S stands for Search and destroy the mosquito breeding places, Self-Protection by wearing light colored long shirts and pants, Seek early consultation whenever a person suspects of having dengue, and Support fogging/spraying in hotspot areas,” she said.
An area is considered to be a hotspot when there is an increase in dengue cases for two consecutive weeks. (With a report from PNA/PN)
