ILOILO – Four residents here have so far died due to dengue this year. They were from the towns of Guimbal, Igbaras and Leganes and the component city of Passi.
The four were part of the 71 dengue cases so far recorded in the province this 2022, according to Ma. Jennifer Joy Oñate, health education promotion officer II of the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
This Jan. 1 to March 5 figures were three percent lower than last year’s 73 dengue cases recorded within the same period in 2021.
Oñate, however, pointed out that there were no deaths within such period last year.
“So, taas ang aton death rate subong sa dengue. Amo na ang ginabantayan gid naton…prevention gid…Ang aton attack rate per 10,000 population last year was 0.34 percent lang pero subong 5.63 percent,” Oñate added.
This could be due to delayed medical consultations of patients due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Oñate.
“May ara cases nga late na sila nagapa-ospital or consultation sa RHU (rural health unit) maybe because sa clinical manifestation nga ang dengue and COVID-19 daw pare-pareho lang ang signs and symptoms,” explained Oñate.
Dengue a mosquito-borne viral disease.
PHO data showed the dengue cases by age groups:
* less than one year old – seven cases
* one to 10 years old – 26 cases
* 11 to 20 years – 18 cases
* 21 to 30 years old – eight cases
* 31 to 40 years old – seven cases
* 41 years and above – five cases
By area, this is how widespread dengue is now:
* nine cases with one death – Guimbal
* nine cases – San Joaquin
* five cases – Sara, Estancia, Concepcion
* four cases – Tigbauan, Oton
* three with one death – Igbaras
* three cases – Santa Barbara, Miag-ao
* two cases – Lambunao, Carles, Pototan, Batad, San Dionisio
* two case with one death – Leganes
* one case – Ajuy, San Enrique, Mina, Tubungan, Dingle, Calinog, Zarraga, Pavia, New Lucena,
* one death – Passi City
On the other hand, the following 17 municipalities reported no dengue cases: Balasan, Alimodian, San Rafael, Badiangan, Banate, Janiuay, Dumangas, Dueñas, Leon, Barotac Viejo, San Miguel, Barotac Nuevo, Cabatuan, Anilao, Bingawan, Lemery, and Maasin.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. on March 3 placed the province under dengue Alert Level 5 so that people will be compelled to follow the “5S” strategy against a dengue outbreak. These are the following:
* search and destroy mosquito breeding sites
* seek early consultation
* self-protection
* say “yes” to fogging only in hotspot areas
* social distancing and other minimum public health standards/PN
