The Iloilo City Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 409 new cases of dengue during the 38th morbidity week, which covers the period of Sept. 15 to 21, 2019.
This raised the province’s total number of dengue cases to 19,929, with 77 fatalities since Jan. 1 this year. During same period last year, Jan. 1 to Sept. 21, PHO verified 1,521 cases with five fatalities.
PHO named the 10 areas with high dengue cases. These were: Pototan (1,417 cases with 12 deaths), Cabatuan (901 cases with five deaths), Passi City (863 cases with one death), Dumangas (853 cases with two deaths), Maasin (767 cases with four deaths), Calinog (742 cases with two deaths), Santa Barbara (726 cases with three deaths), Dingle (709 cases with one death), Sara (706 cases with four deaths), and Lambunao (702 cases with five deaths).
Dr. Patricia Grace Trabado, PHO chief said constant cleanup of surroundings is important in helping stop the breeding of dengue mosquitoes. She added that the DOH’s 4S strategy must be sustained. 4S stands for: search and destroy mosquito breeding places, self-protection measures, seek early consultation for fever lasting more than two days, and say “no” to indiscriminate fogging. (RJ Espartinez)