LETHAL DISEASE. Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, provincial health officer, on Friday (June 28, 2019) reminds Ilonggos to clean their surroundings to avoid breeding of dengue mosquitoes. As of June 23, 2019 the province lost two five-year-old boys due to the disease. (PNA Photo by Gail Momblan)
ILOILO CITY -- The province of Iloilo has recorded an additional two deaths due to dengue, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported.
The latest two fatalities were both five-year-old boys from the town of Cabatuan and Lambunao.
Both the victims died on June 23 but the PHO said it has yet to receive the death certificate from Lambunao.
As of June 23, the dengue death toll in the province has climbed to 20.
The previous deaths recorded included one each from Passi City on June 18 and Concepcion and Sara towns on June 19.
Dengue cases meanwhile climbed to 3, 702 as of June 22, from 3, 202 cases from June 19.
In a press conference on Thursday, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said he already instructed the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Council (PDRRMC) to gather dengue data for 10 days starting June 27.
He said the data is meant to show the trend in the rise of dengue cases and will serve as the basis for the need to declare a state of calamity.
“I told the PDRRMC to wait for another 10 days to monitor the rise (of dengue cases). After 10 days, the PDRRMC will meet again and let’s find out if there’s a need for us to declare a part of the province or the entire province under the state of calamity,” he said.
In the event that certain towns or the entire province will be put under a state of calamity due to dengue, Defensor has assured that the province is ready with necessary needs such as IV fluids and medicines, including the number of doctors to take care of the patients.
Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, Iloilo provincial health officer, on Friday reiterated the PHO’s call for the public to intensify the fight against dengue.
Locals are urged to regularly clean-up their surroundings and destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes. (PNA)
