Treñas orders massive clean up to avert dengue

Despite the decrease in the number of dengue H-fever victims in the city, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas called on all city residents to conduct massive clean up of surroundings to prevent its possible outbreak.

“While the report speaks that the cases has lowered down, we can't be complacent,” the mayor said.

Also, Treñas requested members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps to help the city government in its information campaign to thwart the number from growing.

City health statistician Mercedes Depra said that the number of dengue victims has gone down from 178 last year, covering the period of January to July, to 82 cases in the same period this year.

The 82 cases is broken as follows: January, 12; February, 1; March and April, zero; June, 25; and July, 41.

With this, the anxious Treñas directed the health office to revive the two anti-dengue programs involving the massive clean-up of the environment to keep dengue in check.

The resurrected programs were the “ Oplan Tepok Lamok ” and “4 o'clock habit”. The first involves health personnel who go out to the barangays to clear breeding places of mosquitoes, while the second involves barangay residents to come out of their houses every 4 p.m. to join in the community clean-up.

Dengue is caused by day-biting mosquito that thrives in stagnant water and unclean environment.

The principal symptoms of dengue are high fever, severe headache, backache, joint pains, nausea, and vomiting, eye pain, and rashes.

To eliminate mosquito eggs one must see that items that collect rainwater or are used to store water (plastic containers, drums, or used automobile tires) should be covered or properly discarded. Pet and animal watering containers should be emptied and scoured at least once a week. ( Adora B. Bandorio/PIO )