The board member, however, lamented that in the entire country, dengue soared to almost 56 percent.
Ibañez, chairman of the Provincial Board's committee on health, attributed the decrease to the programs implemented against dengue based on an adopted ordinance that the council recently passed, creating the Negros Occidental Dengue and Tropical Disease Council.
The creation of the committee aims to monitor dengue at an early stage so proper measures shall be taken to prevent an outbreak that will kill innocent individuals.
But said ordinance is yet to be signed by Governor Isidro Zayco.
The province has recorded a total 527 dengue cases with four deaths from January to July 20, 2008 or about 59 percent lower compared to the 890 dengue cases with 18 deaths over the same period last year.
Ibañez believes that Negrenses are now aware of the deadly cause of dengue that's why they're already alert anytime against the dreaded disease.
He also said the passage of the ordinance last week was an indication of the serious commitment of the Provincial Government to eliminate dengue as soon as possible, stressing that dengue is no longer a seasonal disease but an all-year round menace.
Meanwhile, Ibañez said the newly passed ordinance will mandate all local government units in the province to adopt and implement in toto its provisions, he said. "We will have a simultaneous launching of the ordinance with massive clean-up drive spearheaded by the provincial government next month."
