2,300 schools in Region 7 get anti-dengue chemical

CEBU, Philippines - At least 2,300 public schools in Central Visayas will benefit from the boxes of larvicide worth over half a million from the Department of Health.

The larvicide is a chemical that kills the larvae of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Boxes of it were distributed to 19 school divisions composed of 2,300 elementary and secondary schools for DOH’s anti-dengue campaign this year.

Dr. Wybin Briones, founder and overall chairman of the Dengue-Free Movement, is optimistic the larvicide will help lessen dengue cases in the region.

The Aedesaegyoti mosquito, the cause of dengue, breeds in clear, stagnant water accumulated in cans, old tires, flower vases, pots, pails and other containers. The larvicide, Briones said, will be applied to various stagnant waters to interrupt the larval life stage of an insect. The chemical will be effective for eight months.

At least 45,000 teachers will be mobilized regionwide for the project.

The purchase of larvicide was funded by the Rotary International District 3860 (Central Visayas, Negros Region, Caraga Region, Davao Province, Leyte-Samar, Socsargen) and donations from various organizations in Cebu.

According to latest data of the Department of Health-Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, 16 out of the 2,843 dengue patients died since January this year.

According to RESU, the figure is 2.4 percent higher compared to that of the same period last year with 2,777 cases and 11 deaths.

Majority of the cases were from Cebu City (18.65) followed by Lapu-Lapu City (4.3%), Toledo City (3.5%), Dumaguete City (3.5%) and Liloan town (2.8%).

Most of those affected were 21 years old and above.

Cebu City still has the highest number of dengue cases among other cities and municipalities in Central Visayas with 529 cases including two deaths. Lapu-Lapu City ranked second with 121 cases but zero fatality, while Toledo City placed third with 98 cases and two deaths.

Dengue is an acute mosquito-borne viral illness of sudden onset that usually follows a benign course with headache, fever, prostration, severe joint and muscle pain, swollen glands and rash as symptoms.

Former Rotary District governor Toto Cupin, the stocks given to DepEd can cover at least a 300-meter radius of the schools.

“This is the fifth phase of our anti-dengue drive campaign,” he said, adding, that the process has to be sustained at least three times a year.

“There was a time 19,000 cases in Cebu alone and deaths were about 5,800. When we had larviciding, the dengue cases dropped as low as 80-percent subsequently 65 percent in previous years,” Cupin said. — Kristine B. Quintas/JMO (FREEMAN)