DENGUE mortality increased during the first half of the year in Davao City, the Davao City Health Office (CHO) said.
“In Davao City, as compared to last year’s data from January-June, we have 1,043 cases for the first half of the year but this year 867 cases from January-June. So ikumpara nimo ang cases last year to this year, niubos ta (so if we compare it to last year’s cases to this year, it decreased) actually but in terms of mortality, last year we had four reported deaths and it covers January-December. For this year, we already reported five deaths (January-June alone),” Dr. Ashley Lopez, CHO Head, said in an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio on July 25.
Lopez said they already coordinated with the Tropical Diseases Prevention and Control Unit (TDPCU) to enhance their surveillance against dengue fever.
“Actually dali lang eh (this is easy), it’s not a complicated issue in terms of dengue, we just have to [do something] with the environmental protection, sa atong sanitation, ang atong hygiene labi na sa atong mga panimalay (to our sanitation and hygiene at home),” Lopez said.
Earlier, (TDPCU) Head Elizabeth Banzon said the dengue cases in Davao City are under control.
“Nag-sige ta’g bisita proactively sa atoang mga barangays, unya atong mga barangay pud naay mga task-forces, naa pud silay ilahang team nga nagaadto-adto pud sa mga purok nila (We proactively visit the barangays, which have their own task force to check on every purok from time to time),” Banzon said in an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio on July 18.
They have also allotted Nonstructural Protein 1 (NS1), a rapid test that would detect if a patient has dengue or not, in health centers
“Libre na, need lang nato nga after two days nga kalintura magpakonsulta (It is for free. If you have a fever for two days you have to schedule a consultation [with the doctor]),” Banzon said.
Meanwhile, Lopez reminded the public to follow best practices to control the spread of dengue.
“Manglimpyo ta, kuhaon ang mga containers nga nagapundo og tubig. Ang mga lamok ra ba dili ni mangitlog og kanang mga hugaw nga tubig naa gyud ni sila sa mga limpyo, wais pud ni sila, kabalo ni sila asa mangitlog. So cover your basins, kanang mga ligid diha nga wala na ginagamit, mga pots i-check na kay these are breeding grounds also of mosquitos (We need to clean our surroundings, take all the containers that could store water. Mosquitoes do not lay eggs on dirty water, they lay eggs on clean water, they are that smart, they know where to lay eggs. So cover your basins, empty unused tires of water, and flower pots that could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes),” Lopez said. KSD