BACOLOD City – This city is preparing for possible cases of Japanese encephalitis.
Sangguniang Panlungaod (SP) Committee on Health chair Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella said a resolution on the measures and preparations against the mosquito-borne disease is underway.
Japanese encephalitis is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito (Culex tritaeniorhynchus). Its symptoms include fever, headache, and vomiting. These are followed by disorientation, seizures, and coma.
In a statement by the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 on Tuesday, June 20, 10 samples of suspected cases of Japanese encephalitis from Bacolod City were subjected to laboratory confirmation.
The City Health Office (CHO) confirmed to Panay News that Bacolod had zero cases of Japanese encephalitis.
Grace Tan, Environment Sanitation Division chief of the CHO, said the 10 samples tested negative.
Tan encouraged the public to practice the 5S strategy actively: search and destroy all breeding and nesting places of mosquitoes in and around dwellings; use self-protection to avoid insect bites; seek early treatment when with fever; say yes to fogging or spraying when with clustering of cases in the community; and stay hydrated, especially if with fever.
Western Visayas logged 25 confirmed cases of Japanese encephalitis, with four deaths from Jan. 1 to May 27 this year, according to DOH-6 director Dr. Adriano Suba-an.
Of the 25, 12 came from Iloilo province, seven from Antique, five from Capiz, and one from Iloilo City.
The reported fatalities were all from Iloilo province, particularly from the towns of Leganes, Lemery, Barotac Nuevo, and Barotac Viejo./PN
