SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Antique Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is urging the public to continue carrying out environmental sanitation to prevent the spread of dengue which has already claimed two lives in the province this year.

Dengue, now considered a year-round disease, has claimed the lives of a 20-year-old female from the municipality of Sibalom and a 19-year-old female from Bugasong town, said Sheree Vego, IPHO Nurse 4 and in charge of the Infectious Diseases Cluster.

The case from Bugasong town died on February 5 while the Sibalom patient was the latest fatality reported on April 12.

Vego said that from January 1 to April 16 last year, there was only one death but 195 recorded dengue cases.

“Unlike this year, we only have 131 total cases but then there were two deaths,” she noted.

The Sibalom Municipal Health Office will be conducting indoor residual spraying against dengue on Wednesday in Barangay Sido to get getting rid of dengue-causing mosquitoes.

Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

“We will also be giving treated mosquito nets in Barangay Sido,” Vego said.

Residents are advised to seek medical treatment in case of fever and other signs and symptoms of dengue such as nausea, vomiting, rashes, aches, and pains since the Rural Health Units (RHUs) in the municipalities in Antique have available medicines and antigen kit for dengue. (PNA)