ILOILO – From Jan. 1 to July 6 this year, dengue cases in the municipality of Pavia reached 139 with two deaths.
This is 363 percent higher than the 30 cases recorded in the same period last year, said Dr. Joyous Jan Santos, chief of Pavia’s Municipal Health Office (MHO).
In 2017, the town recorded 16 cases only.
The two dengue fatalities this year were a seven-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl.
Barangays with the most number of cases were Balabag, Pandan, Jibao-an, Ungka 2, and Purok 1, said Santos.
On July 10 Mayor Laurence Anthony Gorriceta issued two executive orders suspending classes in public and private schools for two days (July 11 and 12, covering preschool, elementary and secondary levels) to give way to residual spraying of insecticides.
“There is a need to officially suspend classes…to eliminate the risk of dengue and loss of lives…” read part of Executive Order No. 009.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness that could sometimes be fatal. Its carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albpictus and Aedes egypti) that live and breed and clean, stagnant water.
“Sa residual spray sa mga walls, six months matinir ang bulong. Kon magdapo ang lamok, mapatay sia,” said Santos.
He, however, said it is more important to search and destroy the breeding places of dengue mosquitoes.
“Ang lamok halin sa gin-itlog asta sa time nga maglupad, it takes 10 to 12 days. If you disrupt this cycle, wala sang adult mosquitos nga malupad,” said Santos.
According to the World Health Organization, individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40 degrees centigrade) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea / vomiting, swollen glands, muscle and joint pains, and rash.
For severe dengue, the warning signs to look out for are: severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue, and restlessness./PN
