Dengue takes life of girl

CEBU, Philippines - The dreaded dengue disease took the life of another child in Cebu City last week making her the sixth fatality this year.

According to assistant city epidemiologist Durinda Macasocol, the child was the first dengue victim in barangay Sudlon II this year.

Macasocol said the parents should immediately bring their children to the nearest health centers or hospital when the child suffers from high fever to determine if they are afflicted with dengue.

Although Mayor Tomas Osmeña considers dengue as worse compared to cancer because a patient may die just a day after she will be brought to a hospital, but Macasocol explained that the victim can be saved if they will be brought immediately to a doctor before their condition will become worse.

The five other dengue casualties in Cebu City since January came from barangays Labangon, Lorega-San Miguel, Binaliw, Guadalupe and Camputhaw.

The statistics that was submitted by Macasocol to the City Hall showed that of the 80 barangays in the city, dengue has already struck in 47 barangays, the latest incident in the mountain barangay of Sudlon II.

According to the records, Carreta top the list of barangays that have dengue cases followed by Labangon, Kamputhaw, Lorega-San Miguel and Guadalupe.

The total number of dengue cases in the city had already risen to 163 from January to March 7, but such figure is still comparatively lower compared to 323 cases with 16 deaths during the same period last year.

The City health personnel had launched a project called “Type Kita” where they have encouraged the barangay residents to subject themselves to blood typing so it could be easy to identify the possible blood donors if a dengue patient really needs a blood transfusion.

A dengue patient needs direct blood transfusion whenever her or his platelet count will become low. — Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)