BACOLOD City — The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) has urged Bacolod residents to strengthen preventive measures amid rising dengue and respiratory illness cases, particularly among children.
In a recent public health advisory, the Department of Health-retained tertiary hospital reported that 38 of the 50 dengue patients admitted from October 1 to 14, 2026, or 76 percent, were from Bacolod City. Cases were reported in 16 barangays.
Barangay Handumanan recorded the highest number of dengue admissions with six patients, followed by Barangays Taculing and Bata with five each.
The hospital’s figures came as the City Health Office (CHO) reported 891 dengue cases and six deaths in Bacolod as of October 3. This was 1.5 percent higher than the 878 cases and six deaths recorded during the same period last year.
Meanwhile, CLMMRH recorded 182 entries involving patients with respiratory symptoms at its Emergency Department from October 1 to 14. Of these, 76 were classified as infectious respiratory conditions.
The hospital also reported treating 140 children for respiratory illnesses during the same period. Of these, 120 were diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia, while 20 had influenza-like illnesses or viral infections.
The hospital has yet to provide a breakdown of how many of the 182 patients with respiratory symptoms were residents of Bacolod City.
The figures prompted CLMMRH to remind parents and caregivers to take extra precautions against respiratory infections and other preventable diseases, particularly among children.
The hospital advised residents to avoid crowded places when possible, wear well-fitting face masks in crowded indoor areas, observe proper coughing and sneezing etiquette, and seek medical consultation early when symptoms develop.
Parents were also urged to protect children against what the hospital referred to as W.I.L.D. diseases, which include waterborne diseases, influenza-like illnesses, leptospirosis and dengue.
For mild respiratory symptoms, residents were encouraged to consult their PhilHealth Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) providers for early assessment and appropriate treatment within their communities.
Early consultation may help prevent illnesses from worsening and reduce unnecessary visits to hospital emergency departments, CLMMRH said.
However, patients experiencing severe difficulty breathing or other emergency warning signs should seek immediate medical attention./PN
