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Zambo Sibugay declares state of calamity due to dengue

By Dennis Baguio

July 16, 2019, 8:45 pm

<p>The Zamboaga Sibugay Provincial Capitol in Ipil town.<em> (PNA File Photo)</em></p>

The Zamboaga Sibugay Provincial Capitol in Ipil town. (PNA File Photo)

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay -- Gov. Wilter Yap Palma has issued an order for the conduct of a province-wide synchronized clean-up on Friday to eliminate breeding places of dengue-causing mosquitoes.

Palma issued the order after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution Tuesday declaring this province under state of calamity amid the rising cases of dengue.

The Provincial Health Office has recorded 2,908 cases of dengue with 10 deaths as of July 15, this year, compared to only 150 cases in the same period in 2018.

Palma said the state of calamity status would provide more resources to stop the spread of dengue in this province.

“Given the degree of its effect and the necessity to immediately address and prevent the increase of dengue cases in the province, it is important to place the entire province in a state of calamity,” Palma said after he signed the memorandum order directing the local chief executives of this province’s 16 towns to conduct synchronized clean-up drive on July 19.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan placed the province under state of calamity, following the endorsement of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) and after the PHO reported an “abnormal” increase in dengue cases since January, this year.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque has declared on Monday a national dengue alert due to the increasing number of cases recorded in several regions.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness that could sometimes be fatal.

Its carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti) that live and breed in clean and stagnant water. (PNA)

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