Bulacan dengue death toll climbs to 16

MALOLOS, Philippines – A two-year-old child became the latest dengue fatality in Bulacan, bringing the total deaths from the mosquito-borne disease to 16 this year.

Chloeyjade Banquin of Barangay Sta. Rita, Guiguinto died while being treated at the Bulacan Medical Center here, according to the epidemiology and surveillance unit of the provincial health office.

The total number of dengue cases in the province has climbed to 6,939 as of Oct. 25. The figure is 335 percent higher than the 1,631 cases registered for the same period last year.

San Jose del Monte City registered the most number of cases with 1,066; followed by San Rafael, 530; Santa Maria, 507, Malolos, 457; Hagonoy, 428; Bustos, 413; San Miguel, 394; Baliuag, 369; Plaridel, 297; San Ildefonso, 275; Guguinto, 250; Bocaue, 253; Marilao, 221; Bulakan, 215; Calumpit, 212; Pandi, 211; Balagtas, 186; Meycauayan, 154; Angat, 124; Pulilan, 98; Paombong, 93; Norzagaray, 83; Obando, 74, and Donya Remedios Trinidad, 29.

The provincial government is conducting an “all-out war” against dengue through a massive cleanup operation to destroy breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Provincial health officer Jocelyn Gomez said the cleanup operation would be followed by spraying and a continuous information drive.