THE Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) is investigating a suspected Dengvaxia case in Cadiz City.
Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said his office has yet to receive a report about the death related to the controversial anti-dengue vaccine.
He said they will check the patient’s history to determine if the death was indeed caused by the dengue vaccine.
The child’s mother, in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Monday, February 5, said the victim showed symptoms of dengue on Friday then died the following day.
She said it’s very unusual as her child only had fever and stomach ache.
“Daw ka lala sang dengue (the dengue seemed severe),” the mother said.
The mother said they stayed in Manila last year.
When they were still in Manila, her child got an injection, but she is not sure if it was Dengvaxia.
In the death certificate of Cadiz District Hospital, the cause of the child’s death was dengue shock syndrome, cardio pulmonary failure and organ failure, the report said.
Cadiz City Mayor Patrick Escalante reminded his constituents to keep their surroundings clean to prevent the mosquitoes from breeding.
He said the City Health Office personnel are going around the barangays to check possible mosquito breeding grounds.
Earlier, Tumimbang said the PHO is looking to strengthen its measures to combat the spread of dengue cases this year.
In 2017, 41 fatalities were reported in the province, excluding Bacolod City.
Tumimbang had expressed concern over the high mortality rate even if the cases were lower compared to the previous year.
The government will proceed with the conduct of autopsies on children who died from severe dengue after being inoculated with the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said performing autopsies is crucial in discovering the truth, especially after the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) found that three of 14 deaths may have been caused by Dengvaxia.
“Of the 14 cases, nine died of cases not related to dengue or the vaccine, two could not be ascertained due to lack of information, and three were diagnosed as dengue shock. Of the three, the two others who died with dengue shock ([syndrome) were considered as vaccine failures based on serology test," Roque told Palace reporters.
“We are flatly rejecting the call to stop autopsies. We will perform autopsies as they are required because we need to find the truth," he added.
As this developed, Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur declined the administration’s plea for a full refund.
The Dengvaxia maker said agreeing to the proposed refund would imply that the vaccine is “ineffective, which is not the case.”
Roque slammed Sanofi’s latest pronouncement, stressing that it was not absolved yet since the investigations on the Dengvaxia mess are still ongoing.
A group of doctors, scientists, health advocates, and academicians on February 3 urged the Department of Justice to stop the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) from performing autopsies on children who died after receiving the anti-dengue vaccine.
The group Doctors for Public Welfare called on the government to stop its “cruel act” of conducting autopsies.
The UP-PGH was tapped by the Department of Health (DOH) last December to carry out an independent review on the probable cause of deaths purportedly linked to Dengvaxia.
Over 830,000 people have reportedly received Dengvaxia since it was launched during the Aquino administration.
The anti-dengue drive, however, has sown fears after Sanofi revealed that recipients of the vaccine who have not previously contracted dengue might suffer from “severe” dengue.
Sanofi’s revelation had prompted the DOH to stop the vaccination program on December 1, 2017 and demand a full refund of the P3.5 billion spent on the Dengvaxia vaccine. (with reports from SunStar Philippines)