PALO, Leyte,
Aug. 12 (PNA) – Dengue fever has already killed 13 persons in Eastern Visayas
and afflicted 2,587 others from January to July this year, the Department of
Health reported.
Citing
official figures, DOH Regional Director Minerva Molon said the number of cases
has increased 223 percent compared to the same period in 2015.
The drastic
rise, however, is not very alarming considering that the region’s morbidity
rate from the mosquito-borne disease was very low last year, according to the
health official.
In the
entire 2015, the region only recorded four deaths and 800 cases.
“Dengue
cases have been breaching the alert and epidemic threshold in most weeks of the
current year.
As the rainy season has officially started, it is anticipated
that cases will continue to occur and epidemics of dengue may happen,” Molon
said.
From January
to July 2016, two deaths have been reported each in Catbalogan City in Samar,
Maasin City, Southern Leyte, and San Miguel in Leyte.
The DOH
confirmed single fatality each in Abuyog, Baybay City, Palo, and Tanauan in
Leyte province; Borongan City, Eastern Samar; Calbayog City, Samar; and San
Vicente, Northern Samar.
Dengue
victims ranged from one month to 81 years old, but most of them are within the
age bracket of five to nine.
Of the 2,587
dengue victims in the region, 1,164 were in Leyte, 673 in Eastern Samar, 414 in
Samar, 181 in Northern Samar, 78 in Biliran, and 77 in Southern Leyte.
Among the
strategies of the health department to combat rising cases are intensified
mosquito control efforts, coordinate with local government units in information
drive, conduct fogging and larviciding in areas with clustering of cases,
install dengue express lanes in hospitals, purchase and preposition of fluids.
“Likewise,
we have been distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets in schools and
pediatric wards of hospitals to increase protection for our children,” Molon
added.
FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO
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