Dengue kills 6 in Iloilo
The Iloilo Provincial Health Office has recorded six deaths due to dengue hemorrhagic fever as of the second quarter of 2010.
IPHO assistant chief, Ma. Socorro Quinon, said most of the fatalities were children.
The deaths were reported in Passi City, Guimbal, Calinog, and Oton towns, one each, and Pototan, two deaths.
The IPHO also recorded 504 dengue cases from January to June this year.
Passi City has the highest number of cases with 84, Pototan, 55; Gumbal, 31; Calinog, 26; Janiuay, 23; San Enrique, 22; Tubungan, 21; Barotac Nuevo, 19; Sta. Barbara, 19; Estancia, 16; Tigbauan, 14; Cabatuan, 13; Oton, 13; Dingle 11; Dueñas, 11, Ajuy, 10; Barotac Viejo and Dumangas, nine each.
Miag-ao, Pavia, and Zarraga, eight each; Bingawan, seven; and Badiangan, Banate, Leganes, and Leon, six each. Balasan, New Lucena and San Rafael have five cases, respectively, followed by Carles and San Joaquin, four each.
Mina and Sara, three each; Anilao, Concepcion and Lambunao, two each; and Alimodian, Batad, Igbaras, Lemery, Maasin, San Dionisio and San Miguel, one each.
For the same period last year, the IPHO recorded only 200 dengue cases.
Quinon said that to prevent dengue fever, the public must clean their surroundings to deprive dengue mosquitoes of breeding places.
Containers holding water must always be emptied such as flower vases, tires and cans, she added.
Dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes egypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These are day-biting mosquitoes that breed in clear, stagnant waters.
Dengue is an acute febrile disease found in the tropics, with a geographical spread similar to malaria. It can be fatal if not treated immediately.
Manifested initially with fever, dengue symptoms appear about four to 10 days after the mosquito’s bite.
