FROM January to July 12 this year, a total of 89 people have died due to dengue, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

In its report, the NDRRMC said a total of 15,803 cases of dengue have been recorded in Western and Eastern Visayas during the said period.

Of the 89 fatalities, 23 were reported in Negros Occidental, 20 in Iloilo, 15 in Aklan, 15 in Capiz, 5 in Antique, 5 in Iloilo City, 4 in Bacolod City and 2 in Guimaras.

The top five places with the most number of recorded dengue cases are Iloilo with 5,327 cases, followed by Negros Occidental with 3,266 cases, Capiz with 2,590 cases, Iloilo City with 718 cases, and Antique with 670 cases.

Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) declared a national dengue alert due to the surge in the number of dengue cases in the country.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque said there was an increase of 85 percent in the number of dengue cases from January 1 to June 29, compared to the same period last year.

But Duque said there is no national epidemic, since the increase in dengue cases is localized.

The municipalities of Buug and Diplahan in Zamboanga Sibugay, as well as the town of Sta. Fe in Leyte were earlier placed under state of calamity due to dengue cases in the area.

The DOH Center for Health Development in Western Visayas has also declared a dengue outbreak in the entire region, except for the province of Negros Occidental. (SunStar Philippines)