Baronda warns Ilonggos of dengue, water-borne diseases
BARONDA
City Health Officer Urminico Baronda urged the Ilonggos to exercise precautionary measures during this rainy season as several diseases normally occur like dengue H-fever, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, diarrhea and respiratory tract infection.
Baronda said the people should clean their surroundings and rid the breeding grounds of mosquitoes which carry the dreaded dengue fever. He stressed the people should not wait for a death to happen to maintain cleanliness in their barangay.
Baronda said they are still collating all the records of cases of dengue and death for the month of June. There were already several deaths reported in the city but the health office is still on the process of confirming the reports.
In June last year, the total reported dengue cases was 24 with no reported death. On the same year, from the period of January until May, there were 16 reported cases of dengue or a total of 40 cases of dengue and no reported deaths. From January until May 2006, there were seven reported cases and no reported deaths. For this year, dengue death cases were only recorded in June.
Baronda added residents should clean their area and revive the 4:00 o'clock habit. The 4:00 o'clock habit was launched several years ago to address the dengue incidents. However, after sometime residents and barangay officials neglected the task.
Aside from dengue, Baronda also called on the people especially the parents to warn their kids not to buy street foods as they are not sure on how the food are cooked. It is best that the parents will not give money to their kids to buy food for merienda, he said.
Baronda said parents should prepare healthy snacks such as sandwich and juice for their kids instead of giving the children money. He said the children can buy anything they want if they have money. Parents should remind their kids to wash their hands before eating.
Unsanitary health practice also triggers sickness such as typhoid fever. In 2005, there were 121 cases of typhoid fever with two deaths. From January to May 2006, the typhoid cases reached to 14 and one reported death.
The health official also raised concern on the dreaded leptospirosis. The sickness is attributed to dirty floodwaters. In 2005, one person died of leptospirosis. Luckily, for the past six months of 2006, no case of leptospirosis is recorded yet.