Dr. Socrates Villamor, provincial chief of the Department of Health in Negros Oriental. (PNA file photo courtesy of Capitol PIO)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The provincial chief of the Department of Health (DOH) in Negros Oriental on Monday called on the public to put in place measures against dengue with the onset of the rainy season.
Dr. Socrates Villamor, in a telephone interview, said as the rainy season started in June, the expected start of the peak in the number of dengue cases.
“Actually, we had already started discussing with the local government units (LGUs) since last month on dengue concerns and we emphasized to them to also pay equal attention to this viral infection to prevent an outbreak,” he said in the Cebuano dialect.
Villamor said the fight against dengue might be relegated to the sidelines because health and local government authorities are currently more focused on containing the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
He said it is now time to undertake preventive measures to ensure that surroundings are clean and safe to prevent the spread of dengue, which is transmitted to humans via the vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti, to prevent an outbreak.
Villamor said while both dengue and Covid-19 are viral infections and share a few similar symptoms, the mosquito-borne illness can now be easily detected with the NS1 test.
It is like a rapid diagnostic test that is being used for Covid-19, and can help determine if a patient is a probable dengue case, he said.
He reiterated the government’s 4S strategy in dengue prevention, namely, Search-and-destroy mosquito breeding grounds; Self-protection measures such as using an insect repellent lotion; Seek early consultation when experiencing symptoms; and Support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas with increased cases. (PNA)
