Mandaluyong records 237 dengue cases

MANILA, Philippines - At least 237 dengue cases, including one death, were recorded in Mandaluyong City during the first eight months of the year, prompting Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. to order yesterday an intensified multi-sectoral approach to curb the disease.

City public information officer Jimmy Isidro said only 197 dengue cases, with no deaths, were recorded in the city during the same period last year.

Abalos said the increase in dengue cases can only be curbed if residents “take responsibility in cleaning their places, especially in areas where dengue-carrying mosquitoes lay eggs.”

The young mayor launched yesterday his “Iwas Sakit, Iwas Dengue” program at the Mandaluyong City Science High School.

The program called for the active participation of students and teachers from 22 public elementary and high schools, officials of the 27 barangays, the Sangguniang Kabataan and various multi-sectoral organizations such as the Kababaihan Kakaiba ng Mandaluyong, homeowners associations, and the religious groups in the war against dengue.

Abalos said the program includes cleanups every Saturday, the creation of a Student Dengue Brigade at every school in the city, installation of “ovitraps” and the holding of dengue awareness seminars by city health officials.

An ovitrap is a device consisting of a stick in a small tin can, painted black and filled with water, and used to monitor areas where dengue-carrying mosquitoes are suspected to breed.

Mosquitoes, lured by the stick, lay eggs in the device. Wrigglers turn into adult mosquitoes after approximately seven to 10 days, and the mosquito life cycle can be interrupted by vigilant homeowners by pouring the water in the device onto a hot surface on the fifth day and burning the stick.

Officials said the city government has used ovitraps to combat dengue since 1998.