Bulacan declares state of calamity due to dengue

MALOLOS, Philippines – The provincial board of Bulacan has declared the province under a state of calamity due to the rising number of dengue cases.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Tuesday passed a resolution declaring a state of calamity after the provincial health office listed an average of 300 dengue cases weekly since July.

On Saturday, a six-year-old girl from Malolos became the province’s 11th fatality due to dengue.

The declaration will enable the provincial government to use the calamity funds to contain the spread of the mosquito-borne dsease.

Bulacan health officer Joy Gomez said Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado declared a dengue outbreak in the first week of September.

Bulacan has the most number of dengue cases among the provinces in Central Luzon. As of Tuesday, it has 4,482 cases.

Amid the threat of El Niño, Gomez urged residents to store water in tightly closed containers to prevent the dengue-carrying Aedes egypti mosquito from spawning.

Students have been advised to wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants as protection against mosquito bites.

Last week, the provincial government of Cavite declared a state of calamity due to dengue.

Express lanes have been put up in hospitals to hasten consultation and treatment of suspected dengue cases.