Bacolod CHO records 3 Dengue deaths
BACOLOD CITY -- The Bacolod City Health Office reported another casualty of dengue, bringing it to three since January this year.
The latest was a 5-year-old boy from Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City who succumbed to dengue fever Wednesday last week.
The two other victims, who died early this year, were a 10-month old baby from Vista Alegre, and a 5-year-old girl from Handumanan.
The number of reported dengue cases as of July 4 is 412, while the total number of cases in 2008 was 462, with four recorded deaths.
City Health Officer Dr. Salome Biñas yesterday said they are intensifying their campaign in the barangays against the spread of dengue especially because the number of cases is expected to rise during the rainy season.
People are urged to empty stagnant water from old tires, trash cans, and flower pots. People are also advised to wear long pants and long sleeves.
For personal protection, use mosquito repellant sprays that contain DEET when visiting places where dengue is endemic. Limiting exposure to mosquitoes by avoiding standing water and staying indoors two hours after sunrise and before sunset will help.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a daytime biter with peak periods of biting around sunrise and sunset. It may bite at any time of the day and is often hidden inside homes or other dwellings, especially in urban areas.
Biñas also asked the public to observe cleanliness and rid their surroundings of breeding places of mosquitoes.
CHO records revealed that cases of dengue started to rise within the first two weeks of June, CHO Statistician Warlito Vallente said.