Dengue kills 25 in Central Visayas - report

CEBU CITY, Philippines - Department of Health (DOH) 7 recorded a total of 1,045 dengue cases admitted in different hospitals from Jan. 1 to March 1. Within these two months, at least 25 died of dengue fever in Central Visayas. The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) estimated the case rate to be about 76 percent higher than in the same period last year, when there were only 594 cases with seven deaths in the region. Most of the patients were six to 10 years old, although a five-month-old baby was recorded as the youngest and a 74-year-old adult as the oldest cases. Resu also recorded an equal number of male and female patients. Cebu City still ranks first in the top 10 list of municipalities and cities with a high number of dengue cases in Region 7, with its 251 cases and 10 deaths. In the same period last year, there were only 168 cases and two deaths in the city. However, according to the City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit, the City already documented 408 cases with 12 deaths as of March 1. This is about 172 percent higher compared to the figures from the same period last year. Barangay Inayawan is first in the top 10 list, with 28 cases and one death, followed by Talamban (27 cases, two deaths) and Guadalupe (25 cases, two deaths). In order, the other barangays in the top 10 list are Labangon (24 cases), Tisa (22 cases, one death), Mabolo (19 cases), Basak-Pardo (14 cases), Bulacao (13 cases, one death), Cogon-Pardo (11 cases, one death), and Poblacion Pardo (11 cases). In 2007, Labangon topped the list of barangays with the highest number of dengue cases, with 80 cases and four deaths. Last month, Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo identified Talamban and Guadalupe as having the highest number of dengue cases, replacing Labangon and Lahug. This prompted DOH officials to make the City Government an example for other local government units on how it reduced the number of dengue cases in Barangay Labangon. Spray Last year, the dengue virus hit 2,107 Cebu City residents, 51 of whom died. This number was 120 percent higher than in 2006, when only 957 cases and 27 deaths were recorded. City Hall already recorded 234 cases in January and 174 last month. In 2007, it only recorded 69 cases for January and 81 for February. City Hall’s Anti-Dengue Task Force task force plans to continue meeting with barangay officials and City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to come up with strategies in fighting the dengue virus. It also intends to mobilize the massive spraying of anti-dengue chemicals in Barangay Inayawan this week in close coordination with the City Health Department. Carillo was scheduled to present his progress report on dengue and the use of calamity funds in yesterday’s council session but had to make an official trip outside Cebu. Double Meanwhile, dengue cases in other cities in Central Visayas also doubled. For instance, Mandaue’s dengue cases doubled in two months since the start of the year from 43 cases as of Feb. 1 to 86 cases as of March 1. It is followed by Lapu-Lapu City with 70 cases and four deaths. During the first month this year, it only had 38 cases and one death. Talisay City is still in the list with 62 cases, though no deaths were recorded. Toledo City, from its eighth rank in the first month, went up to the sixth with 37 dengue cases and two deaths. New to the updated list is Moalboal town, with 26 dengue cases but no deaths. Dengue fever continues to hound even city-states internationally recognized for their vector control programs, like Singapore. It is spread by the day-biting aedes aegypti mosquito. Residents are urged to help prevent it by ridding their homes and surroundings of open receptacles where water may gather and mosquitoes breed. - Sun.Star