Dengue has claimed 17 lives in Negros Oriental in 2015 with a total of 2,055 dengue cases reported from different health units, compared to only 1,460 in 2014 with only nine deaths.
This represents a 41 percent increase in 2015 over that in 2014, health authorities in the province said.
A year-end report submitted by Dr. Socrates Villamor, provincial team leader of the Department of Health in Negros Oriental, to the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, showed that of the 17 deaths, three each were from Bacong and Guihulngan City, two each from Dumaguete City, Dauin and Tayasan and one each from Bindoy, La Libertad, Mabinay, Pamplona and Valencia.
According to Dr. Villamor, the increasing number of dengue cases should be a concern not just for the health providers but for all the people.
He said by October, incidents of dengue should have been on a downward trend, but it was reported on the contrary.
The highest number of dengue incidents is in Dumaguete with 406 cases last year, followed by Guihulngan with 347, Sibulan 150, Canlaon City 127, Siaton 90, Jimalalud 89, Bais City 88, Tanjay City 78, Bacong 70 and Bayawan 68 cases.
Villamor said the only solution is environmental protection through yearlong destruction of possible breeding sites of dengue carrying mosquitos. (PNA)
