THE Tropical Division of the City Health Office (CHO) reported around 1,100 dengue cases from January to the present and eight deaths in Davao City from January to March.
Melodina Babante, head of the CHO Tropical Division, bared this during the iSpeak media forum held at the City Mayor’s Office conference room on Thursday, April 18.
“This year from January to April 2024, partial pa lang siya na data, naay 1,140 morbidity cases sa dengue sa Davao City tapos ang mortality cases is eight from January to March, ug hopefully sa April wala (This year from January to April 2024, the partial data of morbidity cases of dengue is 1,140 in Davao City while the mortality cases are eight from January to March, and hopefully in April there’s no more death due to dengue)," Babante said.
Babante added that the recorded eight mortality cases were usually children ages five to nine. In Davao City, the areas where dengue cases are prevalent are the Bunawan, Talomo, Buhangin, and Tugbok districts.
CHO considers Bunawan an area of concern because from January to February, they registered around three deaths, while Talomo proper, specifically Bangkal, recorded one death.
She added that Matina 76-A’s Bucana and S.I.R also recorded several dengue cases.
In 2023, the recorded dengue cases from January to December in Davao City were 6,269, with 52 deaths.
Despite the number of dengue cases, Babante said their office noticed a decrease in the cases.
“Pero ang kaso nato from January 2024, nagababa man hinoon. Sa January naa tay 427 cases, sa February nay 398, so nagababa siya gamay-gamay, then sa March naa tay 296 cases then sa April as of April 1st week, naa lang tay 19 cases ( But our dengue cases from January 2024 is decreasing. January has 427 cases, February has 398 cases, March has 296 cases, while April 1st week only has 19 cases of dengue).”
To lessen the number of dengue cases and deaths, CHO is motivating the 182 barangays in the city to create their own Mosquito Board Task Force. Babante said that City Ordinance 0401-20, Series of 2020 was already signed by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, and it requires all barangays to form a task force against dengue.
However, out of the 182 barangays, only 22 created a Mosquito Task Force. She explained that some barangays also have their own body created against dengue but are inactive because the members have left.
She expressed that their activities continue and they coordinate with other agencies regarding surveillance and monitoring dengue cases to implement or conduct pre-emptive measures and preventions, especially if there are reported cases in a particular barangay. Wilbert Sotoniel Duran, DNSC Intern
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