ILOILO – Of this province’s 42 municipalities and one component city, only the town of Guimbal remains unaffected by dengue, data (Jan. 1 to March 16, 2019) from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed.
It is hoped that Guimbal could maintain its dengue-free status throughout the year, according to PHO chief Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado.
Dengue cases all over the province already reached 717 as of March 16, with four deaths.
This is over 300 percent higher than the cases recorded last year (171 but with no deaths) from Jan. 1 to March 16, said Trabado.
Municipalities with the most number of cases were the following:
* Pototan – 99, with one death
* Passi City – 79
* Calinog – 38
* Lambunao – 36
* Bingawan – 33, with one death
* Concepcion – 29, with one death
* Barotac Viejo – 28
* Pavia – 22
* Estancia – 22
* Dumangas – 20
New Lucena had one death due to dengue.
Trabado said the PHO has started training its personnel on how to use misting machines to drive away dengue mosquitoes.
She, however, clarified that misting against mosquitoes would only be conducted in areas with clustering of dengue cases (three or more dengue cases recorded in four weeks).
Among these areas are Pototan, Bingawan and Passi City, said Trabado.
Misting, however, only targets adult mosquitoes. Trabado said a different strategy is needed to destroy mosquito eggs.
Dengue mosquitoes live and breed in clear, stagnant water.
Trabado said the “search and destroy” method would be effective in this regard, but this needs sustained public cooperation.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an acute mosquito-borne viral infection that affects infants, young children and adults.
The symptoms, which usually begin four to six days after infection, include sudden, high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, skin rash which appears two to five days after the onset of fever, and even mild bleeding (such a nose bleed, bleeding gums, or easy bruising).
Trabado stressed the importance of observing the 4S program in combatting dengue:
* search and destroy mosquito breeding places
* self-protection measures
* seek early consultation for fever lasting more than two days
* say “no” to indiscriminate fogging./PN
