ILOILO — Iloilo Province recorded 237 dengue cases with one death from January 1 to February 21 this year, marking a 65 percent decrease compared to the 676 cases with six deaths logged during the same period in 2025, according to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
The lone fatality this year involved a 50-year-old female from Dingle town who died on February 20.
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes aegypti mosquito. Symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, skin rashes, and in some cases, bleeding. There is no specific cure, and severe cases can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon attributed the decline in cases to sustained community cooperation in maintaining cleanliness and strictly implementing the weekly “search and destroy” campaign against mosquito breeding sites every Monday.
She said these efforts also prevented the province from reaching its projected 22,000 dengue cases for 2025.
“Naging success kita sa pag-implement sang dengue prevention. Indi gid amo na kataas ang cases now kumparar sa aton nga prediction nga basi ma-end kita sa 2025 with more than 22,000 cases. Ma-attribute naton ini sa pagbinuligay sang aton mga pumoluyo sa ila nga barangay,” said Quiñon.
Aside from intensified clean-up drives, the provincial government led by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has been providing cash grants to 43 local government units (LGUs) since last year to purchase logistics such as spray equipment and adulticides.
Quiñon also cited as effective the P5,000 cash reward given to every barangay that records zero dengue cases.
As of February 21, more than 400 barangays are set to receive P5,000 each this Monday, March 2, after recording no dengue cases in 2025.
Out of 42 municipalities and the component city of Passi, 39 reported dengue cases while only four LGUs — Lemery, Leon, New Lucena, and San Rafael — remained dengue-free.
Areas with the highest number of cases are Calinog (38), Cabatuan (34), City of Passi (12), Oton (11), Lambunao (10), Dumangas (eight), Maasin (eight), Batad (seven), Estancia (seven), and Tigbauan (seven).
Quiñon said the IPHO has already coordinated with the Municipal Health Officers (MHOs) of these areas to prevent further increases in cases.
Other municipalities that reported cases are Ajuy (six), Balasan (six), Igbaras (six), Concepcion (five), San Dionisio (five), Banate (four), Barotac Nuevo (four), Bingawan (four), Dueñas (four), Guimbal (four), Janiuay (four), Leganes (four), Miag-ao (four), Pototan (four), San Miguel (four), Sara (four), Barotac Viejo (three), San Enrique (three), Badiangan (two), Carles (two), Dingle (two cases with one death), San Joaquin (two), Santa Barbara (two), Tubungan (two), Alimodian (one), Anilao (one), Mina (one), Pavia (one), and Zarraga (one)./PN
