153 cases of dengue fever recorded in Western Visayas
Western Visayas has recorded 153 cases of dengue fever from January to July 1 this year with Negros Occidental province having the most number of cases.
The statistics provided by the Department of Health-Center for Health Development Regional Epidemiology Center also showed three casualties this month from the districts of Arevalo, Jaro and Lapaz of Iloilo City.
Iloilo, which has 51 cases, ranked second among the provinces in Western Visayas with the most number of cases. The other are Guimaras with 4; Capiz, 2; and Aklan, 1.
Antique is the only province in the region with no reported dengue case.
But Dr. Judy Ann Dumayas, officer-in-charge of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, said the number of cases in her area is much lower compared to the two previous years.
She noted that Iloilo province had 905 cases in 2004, while there were only 56 in 2005.
The decline, according to Dumayas, is the result of their strengthened advocacy to precaution the public against the mosquito-borne disease.
She advised the public to practice environmental sanitation and destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes especially this rainy season.
(PNA)