THE Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region on Thursday warned of a possible increase in the number of dengue cases in the region after their study showed a generally increased number of cases each week.
DOH information officer Anna Remolar said they recorded a total of 2,607 cases of dengue and 20 deaths in the region as of June 2010 from the data given by 10 sentinel hospital sites namely San Pedro Hospital, Davao Doctors Hospital, Brokenshire Hospital, Ricardo Limso Hospital, Medical Mission, Southern Philippines Medical Hospital, Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital, Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital, ComVal Provincial Hospital and Davao Regional Hospital.
"We don't consider the results given by private, non-sentinel hospitals because their findings often need laboratory verification," Remolar said.
Their records also showed that there are 858 cases in January-June 2008 and 1748 cases in January-June 2009. "Tumaas na ang cases January of this year pa lang (Cases already increased on January). We gave frequent advisories and now, alert levels are up," Remolar said.
With this, Remolar told the public to take part in preventing dengue.
"Remember the 4S: Search and destroy breeding sites; Seek early treatment; Self-protective measures; and Say yes to fogging only during outbreaks," she added.
DOH has already conducted trainings and seminars in different communities. They gave vector surveillance training (to identify dengue-carrying larvae), Dengue Clinical Management training to hospital practitioners and gave pre-treated curtains to 18 selected public schools.
"We distributed drugs, fluids, medicines, larvicides and insecticides," Remolar said adding that they also give updates and advisories in schools, communities through the media.
Remolar also encouraged everyone to donate blood to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and the Davao Blood Center.