Dengue cases drop since July

CEBU - The number of dengue cases in Cebu City has decreased since July, according to Dorenda Macasucol, assistant head of the Cebu City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit.

She accredited this to mist spraying in dengue-prone areas by the city health personnel and the holding information drive with the residents.

Macasucol said there were 220 dengue cases for the month of July last year, but the figure went down to only 104 this year.   Then the number of dengue cases has also went down in August with only 102 as compared to 352 for the same month last year.

September last year had 319 dengue cases, but so far there have been only 21 cases for the first 13 days this month, Macasucol said.

Overall, Macasucol said there were 953 dengue cases from January to September 13 this year compared to 1,004 for the same period last year.

But while there are lesser cases this year, the casualties have already reached 38, compared to only 21 for the same period last year.

Health officials have included public schools in their massive mist spraying to protect students.

It was strongly believed that most of the dengue victims were bitten by the mosquitoes while in school. 

Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier warned the public to be vigilant against dengue-carrying mosquitoes because of the high figures of dengue cases last year.

He even allowed the city to spend P313,600 for television advertisements against the dengue menace. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)