Saturday, September 09, 2006
Dengue outbreak declared in 3 areas in Baguio
THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said there is a dengue outbreak in three places in Baguio City and clustered certain sites in Metro Manila and three other provinces due to soaring cases of the mosquito-borne disease there.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the dengue outbreaks were detected in Irisan, Loakan Proper, and Pacdal, all in Baguio City. Earlier, an outbreak was first detected in Barangay Maybangkal in Morong, Rizal.
Clustering of dengue cases were recorded in the National Capital Region (NCR) and this covered Phases 4, 7, 8, and 9 in Bagong Silang; Libis, Talisay, Lapu-Lapu-Maypajo, Julian Felipe-Sangandaan all in Kalookan; Acacia, Catmon, Longos, Potrero and Tonsuya in Malabon; Oroquieta-Sta Cruz, Quiricada-Sta Cruz, New Antipolo, Hermosa-Tondo and F. Varona-Tondo in Manila; Bayanan, Putotan in Muntinlupa; Dagat-Dagatan, Tangos, and Tanza in Navotas.
In Parañaque City, a clustering of cases was observed in Moonwalk and Sucat and in Maybunga in Pasig while in Quezon City, there were clustered dengue cases in Tatalon, Tandang Sora, San Bartolome, Payatas, Masambong, Loyola Heights, Holy Spirit, Gulod-Novaliches, Cubao, Commonwealth, Manresa, Batasan Hills and Bagbag as well as in Maharlika Village in Taguig; and Ugong, Marulas, Malinta, Karuhatan, Lawang Bato, Gen. T. De Leon and Bignay in Valenzuela.
Also in the list of areas where clustering of dengue was seen were Calasiao and Dagupan City in Pangasinan; Baliwag, Marilao, Meycauyan, Sta Maria and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan; Taytay in Rizal; Dumaguete City, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Tanjay and Bais in Negros Oriental; and Itogon in Benguet.
Duque said "search and destroy is the only game where we can beat dengue", as he urged the public to destroy the breeding sites of the day-biting mosquitoes.
He said a "search and destroy" operation is inexpensive because it will only "require the demolition of all aedes aegypti mosquito breeding places that include old tires, coconut husks, roof gutters, discarded bottles, flower vases and all stagnant, clean waters.
"We have to be vigilant against dengue. We cannot afford to be complacent and just sit down, especially not with the fact that most lives it claims are the hope of our future: our children," Duque said.
He ordered all government hospitals with dengue cases to provide an express lane where families and relatives can bring family members suspected of having dengue.
Records of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) reported that from January to August 29, a total of 13,468 dengue cases have been admitted in different sentinel hospitals nationwide with 167 deaths.
However, Duque said the cases recorded this year are still lower than the cases posted in 2005 by 42 percent. There were more than 20,000 dengue cases recorded in 2005.
The regions with the highest number of cases are National Capital Region (4,222), Central Luzon (1,898), Central Visayas (1,752), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (922).
Aside from cleaning and destroying breeding sites, the DOH also told the public to take necessary precautionary measures like using mosquito nets, insect repellants and other protective gear against mosquitoes. (MSN/Sunnex)
(September 9, 2006 issue)
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