Dengue outbreak ends but don’t be complacent

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

The Iloilo City government terminated the dengue outbreak following the significant drop in cases.

But health officials advised the public not to be complacent.

According to Dr. Annabelle Tang, officer-in-charge of City Health Office (CHO), the city is already below the epidemic threshold, or the level of incidence above which a disease requires urgent response, for two consecutive weeks now.

“Per cases for two consecutive weeks, we are already below the epidemic threshold. But we should not be complacent, we need to continue anti-dengue activities in schools and barangays particularly regular clean-up drive to get rid of mosquito breeding places,” Tang said in a statement.

Based on data from the Iloilo City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (ICESU), seven cases were recorded in Iloilo City from January 1-4, 2020. Two cases were in the districts of Jaro and Lapuz; and one each in Arevalo, City Proper and Mandurriao.

The latest figure is 69.6 percent lower than the 23 recorded cases in the same period last year.

Last July, the Sangguniang Panlungsod declared a state of calamity in the city because of the dengue outbreak.

From January 1 to December 31, 2019, the city recorded 3,329 dengue cases with 16 deaths.

Clustering of cases was detected in six barangays after three or more cases were recorded within four consecutive weeks.

The dengue outbreak prompted the city to hire nurses and medical technologists to cater the medical needs of the dengue patients.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jerry Treñas said the city will hire additional 13 doctors to be deployed to health centers in the city.