NATIONAL EPIDEMIC: LGUs can now use calamity for dengue

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Ernell Tumimbang said local government units can now use their calamity funds to combat the spread of dengue after the Department of Health declared a national epidemic early this week.

PHO records indicated 29 deaths related to dengue from January to July 27, 2019, which is 0.6 percent of the total cases.

Dengue related deaths in the same period in 2018 numbered to 32 deaths, the PHO report showed.

Also, dengue cases in Negros Occidental rose to 4,831 in the same period, compared to more than 3,204 last year, a 51 percent spike.

From July 21 to 27, 2019, the PHO reported 462 new cases.

For the whole month of July, the PHO report said that Negros Occidental already reached the epidemic threshold

Persons in the 1 to 30 age groups are the most vulnerable.

The PHO report also stated that Kabankalan City topped 31 LGUs in the province with the most number of dengue cases.

In just one week, it had 72 cases, the report said.