Dengue claims 7th casualty
Another child succumbed to Dengue fever bringing the total number of casualties of the mosquito-borne disease here in Iloilo City to seven since the start of the year.
The recent casualty is four-year old Paul Sote-ar of Zone 8, Calumpang, Molo who died a day after he was admitted at Iloilo Saint Paul's Hospital.
The boy was brought to the hospital Friday last week but died the following day. It was not immediately known on whether the victim manifested symptoms of dengue before he was brought to the hospital for medication.
The boy's family was stunned over his sudden demise. It was not immediately known on whether there are other residents in the barangay who experienced symptoms of Dengue.
Barangay officials conducted a clean-up in Zone 8 after the news on Sote-ar’s death broke. During the clean-up, they found an old tire near the victim’s house.
A barangay official said they found mosquitoes and wrigglers inside the old tire. They suspect the victim was bitten by a dengue carrying mosquito coming from the old tire. Old tires and containers are favorable breeding places of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Two months ago, Mayor Jerry Treñas has called for the participation of the punong barangays in the campaign against dengue. He was alarmed by the rising number of dengue cases in the city.
Punong barangays were asked to initiate clean up operations particularly in barangays where there are cases of dengue. The cleanliness of the surrounding is an important weapon in the drive against dengue.