Dengue claims two more kids

CEBU, Philippines - Two more children died of dengue in Cebu City few days ago, bringing to 20 the total number of persons who suffered from the disease in the city since January, health officials announced yesterday.

 The latest casualties were Jhonel Decatoria, 11, of Barangay Pasil and Frixie Arches, nine years old, of Barangay Tisa.

Decatoria was brought by his parents to the Visayas Community Medical Center for severe fever last December 4, but unfortunately he died the following day.

On the other hand, Arches was confined at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) last December 10, but also expired four days later.

Although most of the dengue victims are children, Durinda Macasocol, head of the City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit, said a 102-year-old man was also not spared by the fatal disease.

Macasocol, however, said while there were already 20 dengue-related casualties in the city since January, the figure is still lower compared to last year wherein 37 have died of dengue.

Statistics show that since January, there were already 2,828 cases of dengue with victims confined in various hospitals, compared to only 1,975 for the same period last year.

“Mas arang-arang ang statistics karong tuiga kay daghan tuod ang dengue cases kon itandi sa previous year pero gamay ra man ang patay kon itandi sa una nga gamay ang dengue cases pero daghan ang namatay,” Macasocol said.

The first five barangays in Cebu City that have highest dengue cases are Guadalupe with 241; Tisa, 152; Labangon, 127; Talamban, 115; Punta Princesa, 114 and Lahug, 110.

Mayor Michael Rama explained that these barangays have more dengue cases because they have bigger population compared to other barangays. (FREEMAN)