NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson confirmed Friday, July 26, that he has received a recommendation from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to declare a “state of calamity” over the rising number of dengue cases.
Lacson said around five local government units in the province have already requested to declare an outbreak.
The governor said the province is not yet on the epidemic level but only on the alert level.
Lacson urged the public to continue cleaning their surrounding in a bid to control the spread of dengue which is caused by mosquitoes.
The governor earlier issued an executive order declaring a heightened alert status.
Based on PHO data earlier this month, there has been a 73 percent increase in dengue cases across the province. Between January and June of this year, they recorded a total of 2,800 dengue cases, up from the 1,600 recorded during the same period last year.
Records showed the highest number of cases were reported in Kabankalan City, San Carlos City, Bago City, Cadiz City, and Cauayan.
PHO also noted there were 10 fatalities this year, five of which were recorded in Cadiz City, the highest of any locality in the province. (TDE)