ANTIQUE – From January 1 to July 6 this year, this province recorded 404 dengue cases with one death, according to the Provincial Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Unit of the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
PHO data also showed that all 18 municipalities logged dengue cases this year, with the towns of Sibalom, Caluya and Tibiao recording the highest cases at 70, 67 and 59, respectively.
The remaining 15 municipalities and their respective cases are the following: Anini-y (seven), Barbaza (14), Belison (four cases with one death), Bugasong (10), Culasi (54), Hamtic (eight), Laua-an (nine), Libertad (two), Pandan (17), Patnongon (six), San Jose (29), San Remigio (four), Sebaste (20), Tobias Fornier (15), and Valderrama (eight).
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that presents with severe flu-like symptoms and can lead to death in severe cases.
Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, nausea or persistent vomiting, muscle and joint pain, swollen glands, pain behind the eyes, and red spots or patches on the skin.
The PHO has continued to remind Antiqueños to practice the 4S strategy to prevent the spread of the disease: searching and destroying mosquito breeding sites; self-protection measures such as wearing protective clothing and using mosquito repellent; seeking early treatment; and supporting fogging or spraying in hotspot areas.
For its part, the provincial government encouraged all barangays in the province to conduct Barangay at Kalinisan Day (BarKaDa) at least once a week to eliminate mosquito breeding places.
BarKaDa was mandated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular Number 2023-133.
Also, Provincial Board member Victor Condez recently filed a resolution “earnestly encouraging barangay and municipal government units in the province of Antique to conduct a mandatory and weekly cleanup drive” as a support to the campaign against dengue./PN