The pesky dengue carrying mosquito is still at it.
Negros Oriental dengue cases have already exceeded last year’s levels causing the Department of Health to declare several areas in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental as being on an epidemic threshold.{{more}}
DOH-7 Director Susanna Madarieta told a Kapihan Forum in Cebu last Wednesday that barangays Daro, Looc, Poblacion and Taclobo in Dumaguete City and Barangay Bolocboloc in Sibulan, Negros Oriental have the most number of dengue cases in Negros Oriental, prompting their declaration as being on an epidemic threshold.
An epidemic threshold is a certain percentage above what is considered normal for that period. The normal level, or baseline, is statistically determined based on data from past flu seasons.
Dumaguete City had 270 cases and 2 deaths, while the town of Sibulan recorded 125 cases with one (1) death since January this year.
On the other hand, barangays Bagacay, Banilad, Camanjac and Piapi in Dumaguete City are also considered as hotspot areas.
Pacholo Alcantara, surveillance officer of the Department of Health in Negros Oriental, said a total of 1214 dengue cases have been recorded with 10 fatalities in the Province since January. This number has exceeded last year’s 1007 cases and 5 fatalities by 20.5 percent.
Alcantara said that in Negros Oriental a total of 147 dengue cases have been recorded during the 24th week, while 156 cases were recorded on the 35th week. There was a decrease of 132 cases on the 36th week while the figure for last week was pegged at 67. Alcantara, however, clarified that this number could still increase once patients admitted for suspected dengue would officially be diagnosed as having dengue fever.
With the current Dengue trends, DOH encourages all local government units to intensify information campaigns on dengue emphasizing on the importance of eliminating the breeding grounds of mosquitoes and mobilize the community to actively participate in environmental sanitation drives such as the Barangay Brigade Campaigns.
The DOH recommends 4S as effective measures in fighting dengue. First is, Search and Destroy. She asked everyone to clean up containers that holds water that would eventually be breeding places of mosquitoes e.g. used tires, cans, bottles, bottle caps (tansans), plastics receptacles, uncovered drums, roof gutters, dish drainers, refrigerator drainers, washing machine drainers, coconut husks, bamboo fences, leaves of bananas and bromeliad plants.
The insides of flower vases must be scrubbed thoroughly once a week. Director Madarieta said the Aedes egypti mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus do not thrive on dirty waters like creeks and canals. These mosquitoes breed and thrive on shiny and dark places.
Secondly, Self-protection measures. “Wear long pants and kamisetas at night and use mosquito repellants on daytime,” Madarieta said. Thirdly, Seek early consultation. Consult right away to the nearest health center or hospital when one has fever for 2 days and got rashes.
Lastly, Saynoto indiscriminate fogging. Fogging can be done when there is already a dengue outbreak in the area, she added. (with PIA report)
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