ILOILO – The number of dengue cases in the province dropped dramatically last year, according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
PHO’s records showed 692 suspected dengue cases from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 97 percent lower than 2019’s 22,132 cases in the same period.
Deaths due to the mosquito-borne disease during the period also fell to only two in 2020 from 78 recorded in 2019.
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.
The municipalities with the most number of suspected dengue cases were Estancia (84), Carles (73), Balasan (38), Sara (32), Ajuy (33), Batad (28), San Dionisio (26), Calinog (26), Oton (26), and Dumangas (25).
Meanwhile, the towns that reported low numbers were San Joaquin, Mina, and San Miguel (one each); Leganes, Leon, and Igbaras (two each); Alimodian, Zarraga, and Maasin (three each); and San Enrique, Santa Barbara, and Tubungan (four each).
All age groups were affected, PHO data showed – 10 years old, 283 cases; 11 to 20 years old , 177 cases; 20 to 30 years old, 86 cases; 41 years old and above, 63 cases; less than one year old, 56 cases; and 31 to 40 years old, 29 cases.
Trabado attributed the decline to massive information and education campaign, better surveillance and vector control, or the control of disease-carrying insects and other animals, following last year’s dengue outbreak.
“Plus the fact nga ang movement sang mga tawo for the past months limitado kag wala sang klasi ang mga children kay kon tan-awon mo, pagdamo naton kaso in 2019 damo sadto nakuha sa mga schools,” Trabado explained further.
To date, no province or city in Western Visayas reached the alert or epidemic threshold.
Health authorities, according to Trabado, already anticipated dengue cases in 2020 to be fewer because of the disease’s natural three-year cycle when cases drop.
Based on available data, the Department of Health saw 213,930 cases nationwide in 2015 and 220,518 cases in 2016. Total dengue cases dropped to 152,224 in 2017, which increased to 216,190 in 2018 and peaked at 430,282 last year.
Despite the plummeting number of dengue cases in the province, Trabado still urged Ilonggos to sustain their efforts to prevent the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.
She reiterated the importance of the 4S strategy against dengue. It stands for search and destroy mosquitoes’ breeding places, self-protection measures, seek early consultation for fever lasting more than two days, and say “no” to indiscriminate fogging./PN
