THE Cebu City Medical Center’s (CCMC) admission of dengue patients reached its highest figure over the weekend, an official said.
Dr. Lee James Maratas, head of the CCMC’s pediatrics ward, said that last Saturday, 52 patients with confirmed dengue fever were admitted to the city-owned hospital.
“This is the highest number of cases we have recorded (in a day) so far for this
year,” the doctor said.
Maratas said they only used to seven to 10 admissions per day.
Of the recorded cases, which included adults, Maratas was glad that no fatality was recorded.
Maratas said the figure also included patients who were supposed to be discharged but were not able to settle their bills.
He denied reports the CCMC’s auditorium was opened to accommodate dengue patients.
Maratas is urging the public to join the anti-dengue campaign of the city.
Amid the rising number of dengue cases, Dr. Expedito Medalla, Department of Health 7 Health Emergency Management Staff coordinator, called for community involvement in addressing the problem.
"We should not limit our efforts to the 4S program. We should implement the fifth S, society's involvement," he said.
The 4S program means search and destroy breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes, seek early consultation for any sign of illness, self-protection measures and say no
to fogging, unless a dengue outbreak is declared in the community.
"That is my personal opinion. Unless there is community involvement, dili ma-solve ang dengue problem. We have to intensify our advocacy especially during this rainy season," he added.
Medalla said the number of dengue cases continues to increase but there are no outbreaks reported in Central Visayas.
According to data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu), there were 5,056 dengue cases and 28 deaths recorded between Jan. 1 and Aug. 28.
The figures are 24.4 percent higher compared to the same period last year, when the agency listed 4,065 cases and 60 deaths.
The cities with the most number of cases are Cebu with 1,260 and nine deaths, Tagbilaran in Bohol Province with 313 and three deaths, followed by Lapu-Lapu City with 173 cases and no reported deaths.
Most of the cases this year involved children between 6 and 10 years old.
At the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, there was an increase in admissions in the second half of August.
VSMMC spokesperson Nonoy Mongaya said these were various cases and were not all dengue cases.
"But there was a marked increase in admissions for this month alone," he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Hospital records showed that on Aug. 11, the facility recorded 22 admissions to the Pediatrics Ward and 20 to the Internal Medicine Ward. There were 666 patients attended to by the hospital staff that day.
For Aug. 30, there were 48 patients at the Pediatrics Ward, 24 patients for Internal Medicine Ward. There were 863 patients in the facility. (PDF/BAP)