Dengue cases in 2012 double previous year’s due to weather

THE Cebu City Health Department (CHD) will strengthen its campaign against dengue as the number of dengue cases reached 4,057 in 2012.

The figure is nearly double that of 2011’s 2,043 cases.

The number of deaths caused by the dengue virus in 2012, though, is lower compared to 2011.

Last year, the dengue virus claimed 13 lives, all of them are children while in 2011, CHD recorded 14 deaths.

Based on the CHD’s Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit, those who died in 2012 were residents of Barangays Apas, Basak San Nicolas, Bulacao, Calamba, Capitol, Carreta, Kamputhaw, Kasambagan, Pahina Central, Parian, Sambag 1, Tejero and T.Padilla.

In terms of number of cases, Barangay Guadalupe tops the list with 329, followed by Labangon (217), Lahug (204), Kamputhaw (184), and Inayawan (163).

January figure

Ygoña said CHD has recorded 115 cases this month.

Ygoña attributed the high number of dengue cases in the city to the frequent rains, particularly from July to September.

She said more breeding sites for mosquitoes were created, particularly in vacant and privately-owned lots.

To address the problem, Ygoña said, CHD wrote barangay captains and asked their help in destroying breeding sites in privately owned lots.

“Di man gud mi kahilabot ana (We don’t have jurisdiction over private lots),” she said.

Aside from this, Ygoña said CHD will strengthen its information campaign on dengue.

She said they are optimistic they can address the problem as they have enough resources to destroy mosquito larvae and map breeding grounds.

The funds needed for its implementation, Ygoña said, will be taken from the P196-million budget of CHD for this year.