Dengue cases still rising in NCotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines – Health authorities have recorded 200 more dengue cases here and surrounding towns in North Cotabato since June 1, bringing to 1,503 the number of local patients afflicted with the mosquito-borne disease since January 2013.

A dengue-infected child in Barangay Sudapen here succumbed at a hospital last June 7, according to the City Health Office.

Physician Duvia Tabugo, chief of the North Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health Office, said about half of the latest dengue patients were children, who are most vulnerable to water and insect-borne infections.

Kidapawan City has the highest number of dengue cases the past six months.

Seven other North Cotabato towns also had high dengue prevalence during the period --- Mlang with 241 cases; Kabacan with 174 cases; Midsayap with 171 cases; Alamada with 80 cases; Matalam with 72 cases; and the municipalities of Carmen and Makilala with 66 cases each.

The Department of Health in Region 12, which has jurisdiction over Kidapawan City and North Cotabato, listed a total of 3,518 dengue cases in the entire Central Mindanao from January to May 31 this year.

The official website of DOH-12 said 23 people have died of Dengue during the period, seven of them residents of North Cotabato.