ILOILO – This province was placed under a state of calamity due to dengue yesterday, 18 days after an outbreak was declared on July 5.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) approved the calamity declaration, citing the 6,806 dengue cases with 23 deaths recorded by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) since Jan. 1 this year.
The cases were 998 percent higher than those recorded last year from January to July (620 cases with three deaths), according to Vice Gov. Christine Garin.
The SP also approved the utilization of P26.5-million calamity fund for medicines and medical supplies, chemicals for spraying against dengue mosquitoes, mosquito repellants, mosquito nets, etc. for distribution to 11 district hospitals and one provincial hospital, and rural health units.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) recommended the declaration of a state of calamity after Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. declared a dengue outbreak.
As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the provincial government’s Hospital Management Office recorded 2,053 patients confined in the hospitals and of these number, 998 were dengue cases.
On Monday, the Jesus M. Colmenares District Hospital (JMCDH) in Balasan town had admitted the most number of new dengue cases (46) while the Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital (RTMDH) in Cabatuan town admitted 24.
A total of 278 dengue patients were seeking treatment at JMCDH; 123 dengue patients in RTMDH; and 108 patients each at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan town and Dr. Ricardo Provido Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Calinog town.
Dengue cases in Pototan town reached 713; Passi City, 458; Sara, 378; Concepcion, 333; and Lambunao, 293.
Governor Defensor was unable to attend to the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday as he was closely monitoring the dengue situation in the province.
All district hospitals being run by the provincial government have been ordered to extend free services to poor dengue patients. But there are concerns: shortage of rooms, hospital beds and blood for those needing blood transfusion.
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 aegypti) that live and breed and clean, stagnant water.
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
