ILOILO City – Cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever are rising, and so is the average daily attack rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The City Health Office (CHO) is worried.
Imagine if a person is stricken with both dengue and COVID-19.
“Kon may dengue ka kag may COVID pa gid, ang imo survival rate manaog. Very compromised ka gid kay duha ga-atake sa imo,” said Dr. Annabelle Tang, the CHO officer-in-charge.
Of particular concern to the CHO are the elderly and the very young people whose immune systems are not strong.
The local healthcare system would be doubly burdened if dengue and COVID-19 cases are not contained, Tang warned.
“Our COVID-19 healthcare utilization rate indi pa compromised. Pero kon magdungan sila sang dengue, segurado mawad-an kita hospital beds,” said Tang.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness that could sometimes be fatal. Its carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albpictus and Aedes aegypti) that live and breed and clean, stagnant water.
From Jan. 1 to July 16, the city logged 289 cases of dengue with one death. This is 45 percent higher than the 191 cases logged on the same period last year.
According to Tang, of the city’s 180 barangays, 108 have reported dengue cases, with eight villages reporting a clustering of cases.
Molo district reported having so far the highest number of dengue cases at 66, followed by La Paz (48), Mandurriao (40), Jaro II (33), Arevalo (27), Jaro I (13), Lapuz (11), Tanza (City Proper, 42), and Sto. Rosario (City Proper, 10).
Tang clarified that dengue cases in the city have not yet reached outbreak or epidemic levels. Still, she said, there is a need to contain the cases because the city is also be saddled by COVID-19 cases.
According to Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, Iloilo City COVID-19 Team focal person, the average daily attack rate (ADAR) of COVID-19 in the city jumped to 11.36 percent on July 16 from 0.19 percent on June 1.
From July 1 to July 8 alone, the city logged 906 additional cases of COVID-19, with a daily average of 50 cases.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
“Ga-present kami sini nga datus to show that kada semana nagadamu kag nagadugang aton cases,” Tang told barangay leaders and other sectoral representative during a virtual meeting.
Collective effort is needed to curb the two viral diseases, said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
“Our City Health Office is worried. So we are asking help from all sectors…work together to protect our employees and residents,” said Treñas.
On the part of the CHO, Tang said there is vector surveillance in the barangays, misting, and provision of larvicide, among others.
The CHO clinic has also designated a dengue fast lane to prioritize those who have fever, and they also conduct rapid dengue testing.
They also have a hydration corner at the CHO but they are preparing a hydration unit at the Barangay So-oc (Arevalo) health facility if the need arises.
Also part of the preparation is the conduct of blood-letting activities./PN
