Dengue clustering monitored in 31 Iloilo towns

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reported that 31 out of the province’s 43 towns are currently experiencing active dengue transmission.

From these 31 towns, the IPHO identified 79 villages with clustering of cases, defined as three or more cases within a four-week period. The province recorded clustering in 40 new villages in the first week of July.

The IPHO is actively monitoring Barangay Agdahon in Passi City, which has recorded 15 active cases. Barangay Inilagan in Badiangan and Barangay Tabucan in Barotac Nuevo, each of which reported 10 active cases, are also under observation.

IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon stated that these villages are at risk of being classified as hotspot areas. A hotspot area is characterized by a clustering of cases with an increasing trend or the presence of dengue-related deaths.

The IPHO head also noted that Barangay Odiongan in Badiangan is no longer categorized as a dengue hotspot.

She added that while the province is still far from the epidemic and alert threshold for dengue, several towns have already exceeded the warning levels.

An alert threshold serves as an early warning for an epidemic, while reaching an epidemic threshold demands an urgent response.

“In just a week, we already logged over 300 new cases,” she emphasized.

As of July 6, the province reported a total of 2,053 cases, with 348 new cases logged in the first week of July. Dengue-related fatalities remain at five, with deaths reported in Badiangan, Miagao, and Lambunao.

Passi City leads with the highest number of cases at 137, followed by Lambunao with 130, and both Badiangan and Calinog with 97 each. Oton has reported 88 cases.

All towns in the province have seen an increase in dengue cases compared to the same period last year.

“The majority of those affected are under 20 years old. Our cases are mostly probable, which means that besides presenting symptoms, they have also been confirmed through laboratory tests,” Colmenares-Quiñon said.

The IPHO has urged the public to observe the 4S to combat dengue fever and prevent its increase amid the ongoing rainy season.

The 4S against dengue stands for search and destroy mosquito breeding sites; self-protection measures; seek early consultation; and support fogging or spraying indoors and outdoors.