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Sunday, September 17, 2006
Dengue claims 1 more
By Syril G. Repe and Victor L. Camion
THE mosquito-borne scourge dengue claimed one life in Dumaguete City Tuesday, bringing to five, mostly children, the number of deaths from the disease as of September 12 this year, figures released by the Department of Health (DOH) in Negros Oriental showed.
Susie Sayre, coordinator of the provincial health Mosquito-Borne Disease Control Program, said the latest victim was an elementary pupil of Batinguel Elementary School.
All in all, Sayre said, the number of reported dengue cases throughout the province reached 578 from January to September 12 this year with Dumaguete City chalking up 139 cases followed by Tanjay City with 121.
Mabinay reported 76 cases; Bais City 62; Sibulan, 49; Manjuyod, 42: Valencia, 13; Dauin, 12; Siaton 11; Pamplona, 12; Amlan, 8; Ayungon, 7; Bacong, 6; Bindoy, 6, Bayawan City 3; Guihulngan 3, Sta. Catalina 2, and Zamboanguita 2.
Tanjay City reported two deaths -- one in Mabinay and another in Bais City -- and the latest in Dumaguete City.
Sayre said DOH is continuing its information drive on dengue-awareness and advising the people to clean their surroundings, including wiping out the breeding areas of the dengue-carrying mosquito, to prevent the disease from spreading.
She said all rural and city health units province-wide have been directed to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
Sayre said although the number of cases went up from January to September 12, this year, the figure remains low compared to the 803 cases reported for the same period last year.
In an earlier interview, Dr. Socrates Villamor, provincial health team officer of the anti-malaria and dengue task force, reminded the public to continue to follow the 4 p.m. habit of cleaning their surroundings of stagnant water receptacles to prevent an epidemic situation.
Villamor said aedes aegypti, the dengue-carrying mosquito, breeds in clean water and spreads faster during the rainy season.
The health official advised parents to consult a doctor immediately if their children show fever and other dengue symptoms.
Dumaguete dengue situation
Grade two pupil, Boy Patrimonio, eldest son of Junie Patrimonio of the City Engineer's Office died at the Silliman University Medical Center Monday morning, said Nicolas Ramirez, Sangguniang Barangay member of Batinguel.
He is the first casualty in Dumaguete City this year, said Fredrick Pis-an, statistician-designate at the city health office.
Pis-an said Batinguel has nine cases of dengue, the highest among the city's 30 barangays as of July, followed by Barangay Daro with eight cases and Barangay Bagacay with six.
The cases in the remaining 27 barangays average between one and four.
The city health office said it has no records for August and September since Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital has not submitted yet its reports.
Immediately after the death was reported, a team from the city veterinary office conducted a fogging inside the compound of Batinguel Elementary School.
Lourdes Orbeta, officer-in-charge of Batinguel Elementary School, said she suspended afternoon classes for the fogging activity.
But she believed the victim was not bitten by the dengue-carrier mosquito in the school compound.
She explained the fogging was only a precautionary measure.
(September 17, 2006 issue)
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