Six villages in Roxas City closely watched for dengue
ROXAS CITY – Two barangays in Roxas City were found to have dengue outbreak while four others are considered dengue hotspots.
The Department of Health defines hotspot as clustering of cases with increasing number in the past four weeks.
Clustering of cases occurs when there are three or more cases in a barangay in the past four weeks.
Capiz Provincial Health Information Officer Jeoffry Espiritu said there is a significant increase in the number of dengue cases this year compared to last year.
Provincial Health Office records show that from January to August 7 this year, Brgy. Bolo has already 43 dengue cases followed by Tiza, 36; Lanot, 35; and Milibili, 28.
From January to July 31, 2010, the dengue incidence was recorded at 1,477 compared to only 116 cases during the same period last year.
From August 1 to 7 this year alone, the PHO has recorded 342 dengue cases which is even higher than the recorded cases of 306 in the entire year of 2009.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the dengue cases nationwide has already reached 40,648 from January to July this year, which is 48 percent higher than last year’s 27,473 for the same period.
Most of the dengue cases were reported in Central Mindanao with 5,259 dengue incidence followed by Western Visayas with 4,511 cases, Central Visayas with 4,086 cases, CALABARZON with 4,034 cases, Southern Mindanao with 3,875 cases, Northern Mindanao with 3,603 cases, and the National Capital Region with 3,452 cases.
“The increase in dengue cases can be attributable to the El Niño phenomenon the country is experiencing,” Ona said, adding that continuous rains are also responsible.
Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Roxas City placed the city under the state of calamity following the dengue outbreak here.
The city government is also conducting barangay and school-based information drive dubbed “Oplan Patay Lamok” to raise public awareness and prevent the spread of dengue carrying-mosquitoes.*PIA
