Island barangay under state of calamity due to dengue

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

AN ISLAND barangay in Carles, Iloilo was placed under a state of calamity because of the spike in the number of dengue cases.

Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) officer Julieto Manggasang said increasing dengue cases was monitored in Barangay San Fernando, Carles, Iloilo shortly after elections.

“It started after the elections on May 14, 2019 where may gin-admit nga duha ka mga bata asta nga nagsunod-sunod na,” he said in a phone interview on Saturday.

From May 14, 2019 to present, San Fernando has recorded 65 dengue cases.

Fortunately, no one has died of the infection, according to Manggasang.

Based on their data, most of the patients are 18 years old and below.

“The affected population are mostly school children aged 18 and below. They were admitted to Jesus M. Colmenares Memorial District Hospital in Balasan, Iloilo while the critical cases were brought to West Visayas Medical Center,” Manggasang said.

The barangay was placed under state of calamity on June 16, 2019 following the emergency meeting of the barangay officials.

To combat the increasing cases, Manggasang said the local government unit (LGU) through the MDRRMO and Municipal Health Office (MHO) alongside the barangay officials are working hand in hand to conduct clean up drives and spraying activities.

“The MHO regularly visits the island village to intensify the ‘4S’ strategy against dengue. We are also conducting fogging and other spraying activities to target the mosquitoes,” he said.

San Fernando, which has more than 1,000 residents, is among the three barangays located in Sigocon Island that are being developed by the Ayala Land Inc. (ALI).

Manggasang said that ALI had been assisting the MHO in the spraying activities.