CEBU, Philippines - Ten persons, mostly children, have died while 2,900 others were confined to different hospitals in Cebu City from January to September 30 this year due to the dengue virus.
Statistics show that the dengue cases in Cebu City from January to September 30 was 108 percent higher compared to only 1,389 cases recorded by the City Health Department for the same period in 2011.
Durinda Macasocol, assistant head of the City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit, said records showed that in 2011 also 10 persons died of dengue during the nine-month period.
Macasocol said while most of the dengue victims are children, there were also patients aged above 70.
The barangays in Cebu City that have the highest cases of dengue are Guadalupe, 246; Lahug, 159; Kamputhaw, 147, Labangon, 144; Bacayan, 125; Inayawan, 112; Tisa, 103, Basak-San Nicolas, 97; Mabolo, 88; and Talamban, 83.
Macasocol, however, explained that the statistics showed that the dengue cases have continuously gone down since last month where from 149 cases in a week, it slowly went down to 49 two weeks ago.
The health officials reminded the public to get rid of stagnant water in their areas so mosquitoes will not breed there.
The records showed that there were 1,668 dengue cases with 32 dengue-related deaths in the city from January to October in 2009, then the cases went up to 2,576 with only 14 deaths for the same period in 2010.
In 2008 there were 52 persons, mostly children, who died from dengue in Cebu City.
In Lapu-Lapu City, the Department of Health and the Department of Education joined forces in the campaign against dengue.
According to Lapu-Lapu City Health Officer, Dr. Rodolfo Berame, they intensified the education and prevention campaign down to barangay level.
Berame said the Department of Education through City School Division Superintendent Eduardo Ompad assured their support to the campaign.
“Nakita man gud nato nga usa sa pamaagi aron malikayan ang dengue mao ra gayud ang limpyo nato nga palibot,” said Berame.
The Lapu-Lapu City Health Department has recorded more than 200 cases of dengue with two deaths since January this year.
The Lapu-Lapu City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit data shows that Basak and Pajac topped barangays with the number of dengue cases.
The Lapu-Lapu City government has set aside P2 million this year for the city health department for its campaign against dengue. (FREEMAN)