DISEASE SURVEILLANCE. Geenie Anne Austria, chief of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health in Cordillera, on Thursday (Dec. 17, 2020) said that 20 of the 21 illnesses being monitored show a drop in incidence. She said the quarantine and observance of health protocols, as well as the continuing effort of the residents to boost their immune system, contributed to the decrease in the incidence of diseases. (Photo courtesy of Romeo Gonzales)
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) said 20 out of 21 various illnesses being monitored have decreased.
Geenie Anne Austria, Nurse V at the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the DOH-CAR, on Thursday said the decrease was a result of the quarantine and lockdown imposed in the region due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
"Person to person transmission and spread of the disease was prevented because the people stayed home," Austria said.
Regional disease surveillance report from January 1 to December 5, 2020 shows a decrease in incidence -- leptospirosis 38 percent, typhoid fever 73 percent, rabies 80 percent, hand-foot-and-mouth disease 94 percent, chikungunya 98 percent, Hepatitis B and C 80 percent. and Hepa A 66 percent.
Dengue cases also decreased by 89 percent or from 9,457 cases in 2019 to 1,004 cases in 2020. Measles cases also dropped by 62 percent from 1,059 cases last year to 395 cases this year.
Other illnesses being constantly monitored that showed the same trend are acute bloody diarrhea, acute viral hepatitis, influenza-like illness, meningococcemia, non-neonatal tetanus, acute encephalitis, flaccid paralysis, meningitis, diphtheria, pertussis including adverse effect following immunization.
The only illness that showed an increase is anthrax.
Austria said the decrease was primarily due to the consciousness of people to boost their immune system and their regular practice of handwashing and sanitation.
She urged the public to continue observing the health protocols to be able to protect themselves from being infected with Covid-19 and other illnesses.
She also urged the public to comply with the preventive measures laid down by the government for everyone to follow especially with the pandemic still plaguing the world. (PNA)
