Dengue cases in Iloilo surge by 181%

By John Noel E. Herrera

Iloilo province logged 393 dengue hemorrhagic fever cases from Jan 1 to April 8, 2023, a 181 percent increase compared to 140 reported cases in the same period last year.

Data from the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) indicated that 40 towns, including Passi City, already have dengue cases.

The town of Barotac Nuevo has the highest number of cases with 30, followed by Estancia with 24; Alimodian (19); Banate (18); Ajuy (18); San Dionisio (17); Pototan (16); Passi City (15); Calinog (14); Cabatuan (14); Oton (14); Carles (13); Dumangas (13); Sara (12); Lemery (11); Balasan (11) and Pavia with 10, while the rest of the cases spread in other municipalities.

Only the towns of Maasin, Mina, and San Rafael remain dengue-free as of the writing.

The PHO noted that children aged 1 to 10 years old accounted for the most number of cases with 223, followed by age 11 to 20 years old with 82; 21 to 30 years old (37 cases); 41 years old and above (26 cases); less than one-year-old (14 cases) and aged 31 to 40 years old with 11 cases.

Despite the spike in cases, the province has yet to record dengue fatalities this year, which is far from the six deaths reported in the same period in 2022.

Meanwhile, IPHO chief Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon earlier appealed to the public to monitor the surroundings and practice preventive measures for their own safety.

She added that the public should follow the 4S strategy (search and destroy breeding places, seeking early treatment, self-protection measures, say yes to fogging) to prevent the continuous increase of dengue cases.

“Ginapahanumdom gid naton sa tanan nga practice gid ang aton 4S kontra dengue. Pangitaon naton ang tanan nga lugar nga kung diin ang tubig naga stagnant and for fever of two to three days duration, gilayon gid nga magkadto sa rural health units (RHU) para magpacheck-up kag ang panapton, as much as possible covered ang aton lawas,” Quiñon stressed.

IPHO has already distributed dengue test kits and adulticides to all RHUs and hospitals in the province for early detection of possible dengue cases and to curb the spread of the viral infection.

Quiñon also encouraged the public to eat healthy food and drink plenty of water, as well as to immediately seek medical attention if they experience dengue symptoms.

Some symptoms of dengue include headache, fever, nausea, rash, aches and pains in eyes, muscles, joints and bones, and feeling tired, restless, or irritable.