Bacolod City – Dengue cases in Negros Occidental have further risen to 2,036 for the period from January to July 9 this year. That is an increase of 1,803 cases, or 773.82 percent, compared 233 cases in the same period last year, according to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang.
The total attack rate of dengue cases for Negros Occidental was also reported by the Provincial Health Office at 78.1 per 100,000 of its total population.
Over the past weeks, Tumimbang said that some local government units of Negros Occidental have reached the dengue alert level threshold, although not the whole province.
The Department of Health reported that Western Visayas is now on the threshold of a dengue epidemic.
DOH Western Visayas reported 574 new dengue cases from July 2 to 9, bringing the total cases to 5,057, with 31 deaths
Himamaylan City remains on top among 31 local government units in Negros Occidental, excluding highly urbanized Bacolod City, having the greatest number of cases at 197, PHO reports indicated.
What we are doing, Tumimbang said, is to continue the implementation of precautionary measures against dengue, such as the 4S.
On Tuesday, Tumimbang met and discussed with Mayor Benjie Miranda, and City Health Office staff, the Kabankalan City COVID-19 outputs and dengue cases.
He recommended the creation of dengue task force, as well as the Emergency Operation Center for COVID-19, to increase their vaccination rates, noting that there are still 55,000 unvaccinated residents of Kabankalan City.
Tumimbang admitted that Kabankalan City is among the areas of concern of PHO due to rising dengue cases, but they also want also an increase of vaccinated individuals in the area.
He also noted that COVID-19 cases also slightly increasing, although in single digits.
Nine cases were reported on July 13, bringing to 36 the number of COVID 19 cases, as of yesterday, according to reports of the Provincial Incident Management Team.
DOH Western Visayas also reported yesterday that Iloilo City has 64 more COVID 19 cases, with 62 at Iloilo province. Both areas are being closely monitored by the PHO, since border control have been lifted by the concerned local government units for travelers entering Bacolod from Iloilo.
Tumimbang said that PHO has a swabbing team still deployed at the Bacolod Silay airport to test incoming passengers experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
SCHOOL CLEANUP VS DENGUE
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod is urging the different private and public schools in Bacolod City thru the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to include the intensified campaign against dengue in their cleanliness drive as they prepare for the opening of school year 2022-2023.
The Department of Health (DOH) on July 4 announced that the Philippines logged 51,622 dengue cases from January 1 to June 18, which is 58 percent higher compared to year 2021, and that Western Visayas Region exceeded the epidemic threshold during the past four weeks, the resolution authored by Councilor Claudio Puentevella said.
According to the Bacolod City Health Office (CHO), there were 308 cases of dengue in Bacolod City covering the period January to July with six recorded deaths, it said.
The resolution said that dengue cases occur not only in the different residential houses but also in schools where concealed places serve as breeding ground for mosquitoes.
There is a need to protect the health and safety of students by promoting programs and activities that will eradicate the incidence of dengue in schools, the community and society, it added. (Chrysee Semillano/ Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)