2 dengue deaths reported in Tacloban

TACLOBAN – The Department of Health regional office here reported that two children have died due to dengue fever, while 255 others were afflicted with the same flu-like viral disease in Pambujan town, Northern Samar.

DOH sentinel nurse Boyd Cerro, said the  two children, aged five and seven, were residents of two different villages of Pambujan, Northern Samar.

He said the seven-year-old girl died last July 12, while the five-year-old girl died on Tuesday. Dengue fever is a flue-like illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.

He added that the spread of the disease in the town started   last July 3 with a single case. In the succeeding days, more dengue cases were noted.

Last July 25 alone, 24 persons were admitted at the Provincial General Hospital in Catarman, Cerro said.

Four of the town’s 26 villages have known dengue cases. These four villages are all located within the town proper.

“We can say that there is really an outbreak of dengue fever in Pambujan, considering that four of its villages have reported cases of dengue,” Cerro said.

Cerro, together with Dr. Adelfo Labnao, program coordinator on dengue fever of the DOH-8, left for Pambujan last Wednesday to monitor the situation and brought along some intravenous fluids and medicines for the patients.

Pambujan Mayor Rogelio Tan had informed the regional health office on the outbreak of dengue fever.. With the coordination of the local government unit and the provincial health office, the health team urged the people to observe cleanliness on their surroundings to avoid getting the disease, which is brought about by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. – Miriam Garcia Desacada