The City Health Services Office raised the alarm over dengue fever as another health concern with the onset of the dry season.
City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) Head and Dengue Program Coordinator Dr. Donnabel Tubera confirmed that cases have started to increase in the city as she warned that 2019 may be an “outbreak year” for the disease based on the three-year affliction cycle established as per previous data.
“With the prevailing El Nino, we have fewer water supplies and the tendency is that people would store water in containers that serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes,” Tubera explained.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan and City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo urged the public to observe anti-dengue measures particularly those contained in city’s Ordinance No. 66 series of 2016 or the “Anti-Dengue Ordinance of the City of Baguio” and the Dept. of Health’s”Mag 4S Kontra Dengue (4 S: Search and destroy breeding places; Self-protection measures; Seek early consultation; Support spraying to prevent impending diseases).”
The city’s anti-dengue ordinance mandates all stakeholders and residents in the city to take preventive measures to eliminate all mosquito breeding grounds.
Residents and businesses are also required to secure clearance from the HSO prior to the use of chemicals for use of killing mosquitoes; to only allow accredited pest control operators to render services with the jurisdiction of the city; to report to hospitals or the nearest health center if any member of a family has any of the symptoms of dengue; implement other preventive and control measures that the DOH or the HSO may provide and introduce in the future; and to inform water authorities of broken water pipelines.
Public and private schools and universities will conduct dengue prevention and control activities inside the school and university every day at 9:00 a.m.; advise staff and students to wear long pants and sleeves during school days, and school physicians or nurses to conduct fever surveillance and refer accordingly.
Hospitals are required to provide fast lanes for suspected dengue cases while church organizations should assist the HSO and the media in disseminating dengue prevention and control activities such as ringing of church bells daily at 9:00 a.m. for the community wide search and destroy activities and to encourage parishioners to conduct different dengue prevention and control activities.
Government and private workplaces meanwhile should be updated of the latest dengue situation in the city; conduct search and destroy activities everyday 9:00 a.m. in their respective offices; seek early consultation when experiencing fever of at least two days; wear protective clothing and apply mosquito repellant during the day.
Those who not comply will be penalized by rendering community services and paying fines ranging fromP1, 000 to P3, 000. –Baguio PIO news