FORTY more persons died of dengue fever in Cebu Province as of Christmas Eve this year, compared with the same period in 2016.
That 160 percent increase in deaths caused by dengue fever is reflected in a report by the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
The PHO also reported a 264 percent increase in the number of persons who fell ill with dengue fever this year, compared with last year’s numbers.
The “Dengue Current Situation” report from the PHO showed 8,969 cases of dengue fever from Jan. 1 to Dec. 24, 2016, compared with 2,461 in the same period in 2015.
This means there were, on average, 747 persons who fell ill with dengue fever each month in Cebu. Or 24, on average, each day.
The PHO has launched its Task Force Kontra Lamok, a province-wide clean-up drive participated in by the Department of Education, Department of Interior and Local Government, local governments and non-government organizations (NGOs).
“We are encouraging the public to join the campaign against dengue-carrying mosquitos with our province-wide clean-up drive,” said Dr. Rene Catan in a press release.
The five local governments that reported the lowest number of dengue fever cases are Boljoon (1 person), Tudela (2), Oslob (9), Alcoy (17), and Sta. Fe (24).
Alcoy, Boljoon and Oslob are neighboring towns in Cebu’s southeast leg. Tudela is in Camotes island, while Sta. Fe is in Bantayan Island.
These five communities reported the highest number of dengue cases this year: Toledo City (676 persons), Carcar City (577), Balamban (554), Talisay city (441) and Consolacion (427).
When the last quarter of the year started, PHO doctors already pointed out that this year’s numbers would be higher than those in 2015.
In the second week of October 2016, there were already 5,190 persons hit by the mosquito-borne disease and 55 had already died. This was some 111 percent higher than last year’s figures for the same period.
Last Oct. 17, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) declared an outbreak and a state of calamity to allow the use of emergency funds. At that time, however, the Department of Health questioned the need for the declaration of an outbreak.
The Province still had P46 million in calamity funds when the declaration was made.
PB Member Christopher Baricuatro, who heads the health committee, has said some P1.35 million would be earmarked for the purchase of larvicide for the fourth quarter of 2016 and for the first and second quarters of 2017.