BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) has confirmed the city’s first dengue-related death this year, involving an eight-year-old girl from Barangay Villamonte.
Health records showed that the child developed a fever and headache on June 29, 2026, but did not immediately seek medical attention.
Three days later, she consulted a private physician and was prescribed paracetamol syrup, while laboratory tests were requested.
Despite treatment, her condition continued to deteriorate. She later sought consultation at a local health center and was admitted to a hospital on July 4 after being diagnosed with hypotensive shock secondary to dengue fever.
She died at 4:27 a.m. on July 5 due to dengue hemorrhagic shock.
Despite the fatality, dengue cases in Bacolod have significantly declined this year.
From January 1 to July 25, the city recorded 281 dengue cases, representing a 52-percent decrease from the 592 cases and two deaths reported during the same period in 2025.
Barangays with the highest number of dengue cases were Mansilingan (34), Handumanan (28), Singcang-Airport (24), Villamonte and Estefania (20 each), Alijis (19), Banago (18), and Tangub (17).
Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Grace Tan, however, cautioned residents against becoming complacent despite the decline in cases.
“Lower case numbers should not lead to complacency. Dengue outbreaks can happen again if prevention efforts are not sustained,” Tan said.
Tan urged residents to continue eliminating mosquito breeding sites by observing the “4Ts” of dengue prevention: Taob (overturn water-holding containers), Taktak (empty or shake out stagnant water), Tuyo (keep containers and surroundings dry), and Takip (cover water storage containers).
She also encouraged the public to observe the daily 4 o’clock habit, a community clean-up activity aimed at eliminating mosquito breeding grounds.
The CHO reminded residents to watch for dengue symptoms, including sudden high fever lasting two to seven days, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, pain behind the eyes, weakness, and skin rashes.
Warning signs of severe dengue include nosebleeds as the fever subsides, persistent abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-ground or coffee-colored material, dark-colored stools, and difficulty breathing. Residents experiencing these symptoms are urged to seek immediate medical attention.
Dengue is a viral disease transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and remains one of the country’s leading mosquito-borne illnesses./PN
