KILLER MOSQUITO. A dengue-carrying mosquito. Dengue fever has already claimed the lives of nine people in Eastern Visayas this year with 4,131 patients sent to hospitals after suffering the mosquito-borne illness, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Friday (July 10, 2020). (File photo)
TACLOBAN CITY – Dengue fever has already claimed the lives of nine people in Eastern Visayas this year with 4,131 patients sent to hospitals after suffering the mosquito-borne illness, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Friday.
The threat of dengue fever remains even as government’s efforts have been centered in fighting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), DOH regional information officer John Paul Roca said in a phone interview said.
This year’s number of cases is 34 percent lower compared to the 6,301 recorded in the same period last year where 27 people died or thrice higher than the 2020 report.
However, this year’s figure is still beyond the alert and epidemic threshold, according to the health department.
From January to July 4, 2020, deaths were recorded in Abuyog, La Paz, Ormoc City, Baybay City, and Tacloban City in Leyte; Giporlos, Arteche, and General Macarthur in Eastern Samar; and Tagapul-an in Samar. The age range of victims is from four to 44 years old.
The latest fatality is a 13-year-old male from Tagapul-an town, who died of the illness this month.
Leyte has the most reported cases during the period at 2,142 or 52 percent of the regional total.
“With the cases, we would like to reiterate that Covid-19 is not the only problem in the region in terms of diseases. We must not forget to do our task in preventing dengue such as doing our 4S strategy, especially that rainy season has already started,” Roca said.
The 4S strategy covers the search and destroy mosquito breeding places, seek early consultation, self-protection method, and support fogging/spraying only in hot spot areas, where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.
Dengue fever is marked by the onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, and pain behind the eyes, muscles, and joints. Some may develop rashes and varying degrees of bleeding in different parts of the body.
The health department asked city and town mayors to regularly organize clean-up campaigns focusing on the destruction of mosquito-breeding places in their areas and conduct community assembly in areas with dengue cases.
The DOH said as far as Eastern Visayas is concerned, dengue fever is more deadly than Covid-19, taking the lives of healthy individuals.
Since the pandemic, the region has recorded 614 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 498 recoveries and only three deaths.
“They are both serious, but we need to take action also for dengue cases. Deaths in dengue are higher compared to Covid-19 and to take note they are both preventable. Both have a non-pharmaceutical intervention,” Roca added.
In 2019, dengue killed 73 patients and afflicted 26,800 others. (PNA)
