Dengue kills six in Iloilo City; cases up by 180%

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Six persons have died of dengue in Iloilo City from January to July 2019, according to the City Health Office.

The latest fatality was a Kinder 2 student of Hibao-an Elementary School.

While they are still validating the two deaths that were allegedly out of town but were registered in Iloilo City, Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Mea Delmo said that the number of dengue cases in Iloilo City spiked to 618 from January to July 2019.

“The trend now is we have increasing dengue cases. Compared to the 160 cases with no deaths recorded last year for the same period, we now have 618 or 180 percent increase in the dengue cases,” Delmo said.

Despite the increase, Delmo said that a dengue outbreak in the city is yet to be declared since the declaration can only be done if 20 to 50 percent of the population would be affected.

However, Delmo emphasized that the city should not be complacent and still gear its efforts to curb the killer disease.

As of now, the CHO is focusing on the barangays in the metro which are considered hotspots or those with increasing dengue cases.

“We are now intensifying our efforts particularly on the barangay hotspots or those barangays which registered the highest number of dengue cases such as Brgy. Calampang and San Juan in Molo and Brgy. So-oc in Arevalo,” Delmo said.

Delmo added that they will also be carrying out misting activities in the metro in the coming days.

“May ara na kami plan to carry out misting and I would like to emphasize na dapat indi discriminate ang spraying activities kay para effective ang mosquito control, it should be done weekly for four consecutive weeks on all the corners of the households and the barangays,” she emphasized.

Meanwhile, local chief executive Mayor Jerry Treñas issued on Monday an Executive Order (EO) directing all government offices, schools, and barangays in Iloilo City to spearhead and strictly implement a cleanup drive in their respective jurisdictions.

“With the onset of the rainy season, it is necessary for LGUs to implement/undertake programs and projects on primary health care to prevent communicable and non-communicable diseases. It is imperative for government offices, schools, and barangays to take the lead in implementing initiatives specifically the 4 o’clock habit to promote cleanliness, general hygiene and sanitation in their surroundings and help control the continuous increase in dengue cases in the city,” the EO said.

In the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) level, Councilor Allan Zaldivar who is the chairman for the Committee on Health will also spearhead the launching of an anti-dengue advocacy campaign in Calumpang Molo on July 20, 2019.

According to Zaldivar, the anti-dengue advocacy campaign will target not only the barangays that are considered hotspots but all the 180 barangays in the city.

“We are going to disseminate proper information and educate ang mga pumuluyo kung paano maprevent ang dengue. Indi lang basta cleanup drive but pukawon ta gid ang responsibilidad sang mga residente sa tagsa ka barangay,” he said.