Dengue kills 118 school kids since January
The Department of Education said 118 school children were killed by the dengue virus since January this year with the number of confirmed cases reaching 11, 578 in 359 schools nationwide.
Dr. Minda Meimban, officer-in-charge of the DepEd Health and Nutrition Center, said Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) has recorded the highest number of dengue cases among school children with 3, 583 as well as having the highest number of deaths, 33.
Region 9 (Davao Region) came in second with 3, 418 cases and 31 deaths; Region 6 (Western Visayas) with 2, 091 cases and 9 deaths; Region 12 (SOCSARGEN) with 1, 018 cases and 16 death; National Capital Region with 318 cases and 8 deaths; Region 4-A with 307 cases and 4 deaths; Region 7 (Central Visayas) with 261 cases and 5 deaths;
Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 42 cases and one death; Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), 132 cases and 3 deaths; Region 4-B with 122 cases and 3 deaths; Caraga Region with 116 cases and one death; Cordillera Administrative Region with 318 cases and 7 deaths; Region 1 (Ilocos region), 61 cases and 4 deaths; and Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) with 40 cases and no fatality.
Quezon City topped the local government units in Metro Manila with 97 cases, including 45 cases alone at the Susano Elementary School in Novaliches and Bagong Silangan Elementary School with 17.
Of the eight fatalities so far in Metro Manila, Meimban said three came from schools in Manila, two from Quezon City and one each in Caloocan, Navotas and Taguig.
The DepEd official said three teachers were also killed by the virus–two from the province of Bohol and one from Cebu.
Though Meimban admitted that the 11, 578 cases from January to September were much higher than the previous year’s incidence, Meimban said majority of the affected schoolchildren have already recovered and were now reporting to classes.
She said that the DepEd is in constant coordination with the Department of Health, Local Government Units, and Parents Teachers Association to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Among the measures being conducted were the mobilization of personnel for an information campaign on the prevention and control of dengue, maintenance of environmental sanitation in schools and the communities and the referral of pupils, students and personnel with symptoms of dengue.
Schools are also being encouraged to use window nets treated with mosquito repellents and students allowed to wear clothes that shield their skin from mosquito bites.
But Meimban said authorities should be careful in conducting fogging operations adding it is only recommended when there is an outbreak of the virus. She added such an operation should also be held only on weekends so that no classes will be affected or disturbed.
She also cautioned parents against giving aspirin to their children if they have fever or experiencing dengue symptoms adding it may induce bleeding.
“Instead of aspirin, mas maganda paracetamol na lang ang ibigay nila,” she said.
Earlier, DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro urged the department’s regional directors and superintendents nationwide to intensify the prevention campaign against dengue.
Luistro said the welfare of the students and the school community should be the priority.
“We should work together to contain the outbreak of dengue. Students’ welfare should be our primary concern,” he said.*PNA
