Over 170 infected with dengue virus in Zambo City, mayor says

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Over 170 people have been infected with the dengue virus in this city since early this year, according to Mayor Celso Lobregat. "There is an outbreak of dengue, according to the City Health Office, and we are appealing to everybody to help us fight dengue by cleaning our houses, backyards and surroundings and to get rid of breeding places of mosquitoes, such as stagnant water, canals, flower pots and discarded tires," he said in a television broadcast. He also appealed to village officials to continue their clean-up drive to curtail the rise in dengue cases in the city. Dengue is an infectious tropical disease caused by an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It is characterized by high fever, rash, headache, and severe muscle and joint pain. Lobregat said the dengue outbreak affected many villages, mostly victimizing children. The number of dengue cases from January to February is five times more during the same period last year, according to Lobregat. Last year, the Department of Health (DoH) said more than 300 people had died due to dengue, while 30,000 more were infected with the disease. According to the DoH, the most effective way to fight dengue is to search and destroy the breeding sites of Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, such as coconut husk, empty bottles, and tin cans. - AL JACINTO, GMANews.TV