5 more children die of dengue

CEBU, Philippines - Five more children died of dengue in Cebu City in the past two weeks, bringing to 30 the total number of dengue-related casualties from January to September 30 this year, health officials said yesterday.

City health statistics officer Durinda Macasocol said the latest casualties are residents of barangays Apas, 2, and one each from barangays Punta Princesa, Inayawan and Day-as.

Two of the latest casualties died at the Cebu City Medical Center, two at the Perpetual Soccour Hospital, while one at the Cebu Doctors Hospital.

Statistics showed that there are more dengue cases in the city this year compared to the same period last year, although lesser deaths were recorded this year compared in 2008.

Thirty dengue-related deaths were recorded for the first nine months this year, lower than the 43 deaths in the same period last year. However, the same period recorded more dengue cases this year with 1,225 compared to the 1,003 recorded in 2008.

Macasocol said that based on statistics, two people are afflicted with mosquito-borne diseases in every 1,000 population in the city.

Mosquito-borne diseases have affected 62 persons in the city’s urban areas. Three each were afflicted in Camputhaw and Labangon; two each in Guadalupe, Tisa, Lorega-San Miguel, Caretta, Apas and Mambaling; and one each in barangays Bacayan, Talamban, Basak-San Nicolas, Lahug, Luz, Punta Princesa, Inayawan, Pardo, Banilad, Day-as, Sudlon II and Binaliw. — Rene U. Borromeo/JMO      (FREEMAN NEWS)