SUSPECTED dengue cases in Davao Region reduced by 49.74 percent from January to April 14, 2018 as compared to the same period last year, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.
A total of 761 dengue cases were reported to Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (Resu) in Davao from January to April 14 this year, as compared to the same period last year with 1,514 cases.
Health Education and Promotion officer Yasuy Avila said the highest percentage of these cases come from Davao City, however, they could not yet give the figures as these are still unconfirmed cases.
Next to Davao City with the most number of dengue cases in the region are Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental, respectively.
Avila said “unconfirmed cases” refer to patients who have symptoms of dengue but were not confirmed if they are positive of the illness.
In a data obtained from the official website of the DOH, the agency noted 1,995 dengue cases with 14 deaths in 2017, which is lower compared to 2016 with 4,608 cases and 41 deaths.
The cases reported on the website, however, do not represent the final number and are subject to change after inclusion of delayed reports and review of cases, the DOH said.
Avila earlier attributed the significant decrease of dengue cases to the continued effort of the Health department to reach out to the barangays while empowering barangay officials and capacitating health workers to also go to the grassroots level to raise awareness among communities through their Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue.