BACOLOD City — An eight-year-old girl from Barangay Handumanan died of severe dengue, bringing the city’s dengue-related fatalities to six as infections increased by 1.5 percent from last year’s figure, the City Health Office (CHO) reported.
The child died on October 3 after suffering complications, including dengue hemorrhagic shock, pulmonary hemorrhage and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. She was admitted to a hospital on October 1 after experiencing persistent fever, vomiting and abdominal pain, followed by diarrhea.
According to the CHO, the girl had previously been hospitalized for dengue at the age of five, making her latest infection her second encounter with the mosquito-borne disease.
She developed a high fever on September 28, which temporarily subsided after she was given paracetamol. She initially consulted a private clinic and was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection before her condition worsened.
Laboratory results on October 1 showed that her platelet count had dropped to 34,000, indicating a dangerously low level. Despite hospitalization, her condition continued to deteriorate, and she suffered cardiopulmonary arrest on October 3. She was pronounced dead at around 10:30 a.m.
The CHO said the fatality was reported to the office on October 4.
The latest death brings to six the number of dengue-related fatalities recorded in Bacolod as of Morbidity Week 39, covering September 27 to October 3.
The city recorded 891 dengue cases during the period, up 1.5 percent from the 878 cases reported during the same period in 2025. The number of deaths remained unchanged at six.
The other fatalities involved a nine-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl from Barangay Mansilingan, an eight-year-old boy from Barangay 16, a five-year-old girl from Barangay Granada, and an eight-year-old girl from Barangay Villamonte.
CHO records showed that Barangay Mansilingan had the highest number of dengue cases, with 105, followed by Handumanan with 77 and Estefania with 73.
Other barangays with high case counts were Alijis, with 58; Granada, 55; Villamonte and Taculing, 54 each; Singcang-Airport, 53; Tangub, 44; and Banago, 39.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO’s Environmental Sanitation Division, urged residents experiencing fever and flu-like symptoms to seek early medical consultation.
She also reminded the public to remain vigilant against dengue and follow the Department of Health’s 4S strategy: search for and destroy mosquito-breeding sites; secure self-protection against mosquito bites; seek early consultation; and support fogging and spraying in areas where these are warranted.
Meanwhile, CHO Assistant Department Head Dr. Grace Tan also emphasized the importance of sustained household and community efforts to eliminate mosquito-breeding grounds.
Residents were encouraged to practice the city’s “4Ts” of dengue prevention: Taob, Taktak, Tuyo and Takip — turn over water containers, discard accumulated water, keep containers dry, and cover water-storage vessels.
The city also urged households to participate in its daily 4 p.m. cleanup habit to remove stagnant water and other potential mosquito-breeding sites.
Health authorities advised residents to watch for dengue symptoms, including sudden high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, pain behind the eyes, weakness and skin rashes.
Persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, unusual bleeding, dark-colored stools and difficulty breathing are warning signs that require immediate medical attention.
The CHO stressed that dengue can progress rapidly and become life-threatening, making early consultation, close monitoring and prompt medical intervention essential to preventing severe complications and deaths./PN
