PHO identifies 2 dengue ‘hotspots’ in Roxas City
ROXAS CITY – Two barangays here – Banica and Lawaan – are considered dengue fever “hotspots” by the Provincial Health Office, information officer Jeoffry Espiritu said.
Considered hotspot areas are barangays that have two to four dengue cases a week for four consecutive weeks.
Data from the PHO show that from January to July 17 this year, Capiz has already 1,006 dengue cases with eight deaths.
Of the total dengue cases, 292 are in Roxas City, which has also recorded three deaths.
City Health Office Program Coordinator Mignon Bermejo said sanitary inspectors are already conducting barangay-based inspections and surveillance especially in the declared “hotspots.”
Bermejo said they are also closely coordinating with the barangay officials and different schools for the clean-up drive to destroy the breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Meanwhile, Department of Health representative in Capiz, Dr. Elmer Bucayan, said that with the declaration of some areas as dengue “hotspots,” people in these barangays must be mobilized for a clean-up drive.
Bucayan said that express lanes for dengue patients must also be put in place in all public and private hospitals, including the rural health units.
“A person having fever must already be considered a dengue case and must be closely monitored,” he said.
He also encouraged health officials in Capiz to hold a simultaneous one-time, major information drive on dengue fever. PIA
