ILOILO City – Feverish? Go see a doctor right away. It could be dengue.
Don’t delay seeking medical help. According to the Department of Health (DOH), this is the most common reason for dengue fatalities in Western Visayas.
“Usually pila na ka adlaw nga nagamasakit, nga nagahilanat before sila magpakonsulta. Abi nila trangkaso lang,” said Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, head of DOH Region 6’s Integrated Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Program Sector.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness that could be fatal if not managed well. Its carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti) that breed in lean, stagnant water.
DOH has so far recorded 19 dengue deaths from Jan. 1 to May 14 this year, more than double the eight dengue deaths reported in the same period last year.
“Some people delay seeking medical help because they fear being diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” said Natalaray.
Fever is a symptom common in dengue, flu and COVID-19.
“Indi na maghulat nga madula hilanat kag amo pagkadto sa doctor. We have to remember that the critical period for dengue is the time nga madula ang hilanat. So we have to be early. As early as one to two days nga nagahilanat dal-on na sa aton mga sentro,” said Natalaray.
DOH has prepositioned dengue NS1 test kits in health centers.
As of May 14, dengue cases in the region already reached 1,355 which is 75 percent lower compared last year’s 775 recorded in the same period.
Data from DOH showed the spread of dengue in Western Visayas:
* Negros Occidental – 518 cases with five deaths
* Antique – 316 cases with two deaths
* Iloilo – 222 cases with six deaths
* Bacolod City – 121 cases with four deaths
* Capiz – 86 cases
* Iloilo City – 39 cases with one death
* Aklan – 39 cases with one death
* Guimaras – 14 cases
DOH-6 also noted clustering of dengue cases in 44 barangays.
There is clustering when there are three or more cases recorded in four successive weeks,
Barangay Lawigan in San Joaquin, Iloilo was the first in the list with eight cases since morbidity week 16 to 19.
There were four more barangays in Iloilo with clustering of cases — Qunanan and Sinugbohan, also in San Joaquin, and Malayu-an in Ajuy town.
Other barangays with clustering of cases were in Negros Occidental (29 villages), Antique (eight villages) and Capiz (two).
DOH-6 is urging the public to practice the 4S strategy to prevent the spread of dengue – search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites; self-protection measures like wearing trousers and long-sleeved shirts and daily use of mosquito repellent; seek early treatment; and support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas where increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.
DOH-6 encourages local government units to re-activate their dengue task forces and preposition dengue prevention, control and response logistics.
DENGUE CATEGORIES
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies dengue into two major categories: dengue (with or without warning signs) and severe dengue.
The sub-classification of dengue with or without warning signs is designed to help health practitioners triage patients for hospital admission, ensuring close observation, and to minimize the risk of developing the more severe dengue.
Dengue should be suspected when a high fever (40°C) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms during the febrile phase (2-7 days):
* severe headache
* pain behind the eyes
* muscle and joint pains
* nausea
* vomiting
* swollen glands
* rash
According to WHO, a patient enters what is called the critical phase normally about three to seven days after illness onset. During the 24-48 hours of critical phase, a small portion of patients may manifest sudden deterioration of symptoms. It is at this time, when the fever is dropping (below 38°C) in the patient, that warning signs associated with severe dengue can manifest.
Severe dengue is a potentially fatal complication, due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment.
Warning signs that doctors should look for include:
* severe abdominal pain
* persistent vomiting
* rapid breathing
* bleeding gums or nose
* fatigue
* restlessness
* liver enlargement
* blood in vomit or stool
If patients manifest these symptoms during the critical phase, WHO said close observation for the next 24-48 hours is essential so that proper medical care can be provided, to avoid complications and risk of death.
Close monitoring should also continue during the convalescent phase./PN
