Misamis Oriental's dengue cases declined

WHILE there is an increase of dengue cases in Northern Mindanao Region based on the record of the Department of Health (DOH) from January to June this year by 36.74, cases in Misamis Oriental province went down during the same period, provincial health chief said.

Dr. Ignacio Moreno, provincial health officer, said dengue cases in 2012 were 268 compared to 376 last year.

Although under DOH records Misamis Oriental has 864 cases, including the 595 cases from Cagayan de Oro City, which has the highest cases among the region's nine cities.

Moreno said the decrease in dengue cases in the province can be attributed to the effective campaign of their department, citing that more people are now aware of what dengue is.

With this, the provincial health chief was grateful that residents of Misamis Oriental have maintained their level of awareness compared to other areas where dengue outbreak has already been declared.

However, despite the local government's massive preventive campaigns against dengue, Moreno urged everyone not to be complacent.

"Residents must maintain proper hygiene and clean their surroundings to avoid the spread of mosquito-borne diseases," he added.

DOH said dengue is caused by Aedes aegypti, a mosquito that lays eggs in clear and stagnant water found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels and old rubber tires.

Dengue could lead to a number of complications and even death when left undetected and untreated.