CEBU topped the list of provinces with the highest number of dengue deaths and cases across the Visayas and Soccsksargen, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Wednesday, July 17, 2019.
The NDRRMC said a total of 25,772 cases of dengue have been recorded in Western, Central and Eastern Visayas, as well as in Soccsksargen from January 1 to July 13.
It said the province with the highest number of dengue cases is Cebu with 5,935, followed by Iloilo with 5,327, Negros Occidental with 3,266, Capiz with 2,590 and Aklan with 2,095.
Cebu also topped the list of provinces with the most number of deaths due to dengue, with 36 deaths reported, followed by Negros Occidental with 23 and Iloilo with 20.
Department of Health 7 Regional Director Jaime Bernadas said the population of Central Visayas contributes to the high number of cases of dengue in the region compared to its neighboring regions in the Visayas.
He said the rate of cases is normal in Cebu based on the population of Central Visayas region at 7.4 million people where 70 percent are in Cebu.
Bernadas added that if the count will done according to regions, Central Visayas will rank only fifth in the entire country.
He added that Central Visayas has not even exceeded the alert or epidemic threshold of dengue cases.
Further, the health official added the public should not be alarmed but instead be prepared and be aware of dengue fever so the number of cases will not further increase.
Miscommunication
Dr. Ronald Jarvik Buscato, DOH 7 Dengue program coordinator, said there was miscommunication with the Media Relations Unit in the DOH Central Office because the data shown to the public were incorrect.
Buscato said the data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) and the Epidemiology Bureau matched but what came out in the media was different.
Based on the DOH 7 data, Cebu has 5,611 dengues cases and 35 deaths.
On Monday, July 15, Health Secretary Francisco Duque declared a National Dengue Alert due to the rapidly increasing number of cases observed in several regions.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered local government units (LGUs) to conduct a clean-up drive to eliminate all mosquito-breeding areas and stop the spread of the dengue virus.
The LGUs were also ordered to coordinate with DOH officials in their areas to identify the safe and effective ways to contain the mosquito population.
“The alarming increase of dengue cases in several areas should prompt LGUs to act now and act fast in arresting the spread of dengue in their respective areas. We should not allow dengue to debilitate our communities,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said.
“We must increase our efforts in addressing the dengue infection especially during this rainy season when cases are expected to rise,” he added.
Año also urged the public to help in cleaning their surroundings.
“Lahat tayo ay magtulong-tulong at kumilos na. Huwag nating iasa na lang sa gobyerno ang paglilinis at pagsisinop sa ating mga kapaligiran para maiwasan ang dengue (Let us all clean our surroundings. Let’s not just rely on the government),” he said. (From HBL of Superbalita Cebu/Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo of SunStar Philippines/VLA)