The rains that have been falling over Dumaguete and Negros Oriental have been a blessing to many following the dry spell that was accompanied by hot and humid weather.
Farmers can now project a bountiful harvest ahead and our dwindling water resources are well on their way to recovery.
But there is a downside to the rain and this is the emergence of mosquitoes, especially those that bring the dengue virus.
Water trapped in stagnant containers, such as empty bottles, leaves or cans, are attractive breeding places for mosquitoes. In less than a week, these eggs hatch and the insects multiply.
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Incidentally, this is the third year since the last dengue outbreak. Health officials are worried because statistically, dengue cases rise every three years.
DOH-Negros Oriental Provincial Officer Dr. Socrates Villamor said the CHO recorded and validated 270 dengue cases in 2017 and 380 in 2018, and this year, 162 cases from January 1 to May 18 have been validated.
He said Dumaguete City ranks first among other towns and cities in the number of dengue cases and number 4 in the entire region.
We’d better be prepared for such an outbreak. We’re not talking rocket science but we’re talking of solutions that are doable by everyone.
Let’s just do one thing — get rid of mosquito breeding places. Let’s look around and drain stagnant water from leaves, cans, bottles. It’s a simple solution which could have far-reaching effects.
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